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Vocality level 5 in 5 Disclaimer: While the characteristics mentioned here may frequently represent this breed, dogs are individuals whose personalities and appearances will vary. Please consult the adoption organization for details on a specific pet. Temperament ACA delightful blend of dignity and comedy, the Pug is an amiable, playful, and confident companion. They can be stubborn and headstrong, but they are pleasant and generally willing to please. They love to cavort and show off. Upkeep The Pug needs daily exercise, either in the form of a lively game or a moderate walk. They do not do well in heat and humidity. They needs minimal coat care but daily cleaning of facial wrinkles. Their smooth coat needs only occasional brushing to remove dead hairs; however, the wrinkles need regular cleaning and drying to prevent skin infections. The Pug may often wheeze and snore. Health Major concerns: Pug dog encephalitis, CHD, brachycephalic syndrome Minor concerns: elongated palate, stenotic nares, patellar luxation, Legg-Perthes, entropion, KCS, skin infections, hemivertebra Occasionally seen: seizures, nerve degeneration, distichiasis, allergies, demodicosis Suggested tests: eye, hip, knee, DNA Pug dog encephalitis Life span: 12—15 years Note: The Pug cannot tolerate heat and is sensitive to anesthesia. They are prone to corneal abrasion and obesity. The Pug is somewhat of an exception in the Toy Group because they are perhaps the only one to be descended from mastiff forebears. Although their exact ancestry has been lost in antiquity, the Pug retains many mastiff characteristics. The Pug is an ancient breed, one of several miniaturized in the Orient, where they were a favorite pet of Buddhist monasteries in Tibet many centuries ago. Here they became quite popular and were recognized as the official dog of the House of Orange after one saved the life of Prince William by sounding an alarm at the approach of Spanish soldiers in .Pugs were first brought to England during Victorian times and became incredibly popular with the wealthy, displacing the King Charles Spaniel as the favored royal breed. Several Pugs were brought to England from China in .A year earlier, the breed had been recognized by the AKC. Since that time, they have remained popular a pet. Related Content. Email: betsneal yahoo. They occasionally have Pug pups available so keep updated on their Facebook page for new information. Kings Creek has been breeding Pugs since .Kings Creek is passionate about quality puppies and is more than happy to offer prospective owners references from prior purchasers and their veterinarians. All pups come with a health check, vaccines, and deworming, as well as a two-year genetic health guarantee. They love their dogs and show commitment to the betterment of the breed in everything they do. But how can you spot reputable breeders when you start searching for a Pug puppy? Here are some tips to help you out. A good breeder will… 1. Issue a health guarantee Make sure that your breeder of choice offers a health guarantee. A reputable Pug breeder will write up a binding health guarantee for all of their puppies. The guarantee protects you against any genetic defects or diseases. It shows that the breeder is confident that their puppies are bred according to best practices. This means if you can no longer look after your pup for some reason, you will be expected to return the puppy to the breeder rather than taking them to a shelter. Provide standard health clearances Your breeder should have full health clearances for both parent Pugs. Good breeders often provide some early health-check clearances for their pups too, although some health clearances simply cannot be carried on such young pups. Issue a written bill of sale Reputable breeders offer written bills of sale to all of their new Pug parents. This bill of sale should be signed and will outline all the roles and responsibilities to be taken on by the buyer and seller as part of the transaction. Vaccinate their puppies All puppies should be up to date on their vaccinations before being homed with new families. Your breeder of choice should be able to provide evidence of these vaccinations. Reputable breeders welcome prospective parents into their homes to see the puppies. Follow age guidelines Puppies should never leave the litter before 8 weeks of age. Any breeder offering pups for adoption before this time is not following best practices. In fact, this could be quite damaging for the puppy developmentally. A reputable breeder will keep their pups at home until eight to twelve weeks so that they can be properly socialized and spend that crucial time with their mother and litter-mates. Answer your questions Last, but not least, a reputable breeder will be knowledgeable. In most cases, they will also want to ask you plenty of questions to ensure that their precious pups are going to good homes. We have a strict selection process that takes a variety of factors into account. That way we can ensure that only the best breeders end up on our lists. This way we know that our chosen breeders offer genetically sound and healthy puppies. Health testing shows a commitment to the health and wellbeing of each Pug. Contact information Any breeder that does not offer up their contact information is a big red flag. A reputable breeder will make it easy for you to get in contact with them by providing telephone numbers, email addresses, and they will usually have a well-established website as well. It shows a commitment to breeding best practices. Event participation Breeders who also compete in doggie events are often some of the best. Because these people tend to be dog lovers par excellence. They live and breathe for their Pugs and are proud to show them off in public. They are also more likely to have a high level of breed knowledge — an excellent sign for a breeder. Breed club membership There are lots of breed clubs out there that breeders can register with. These clubs have rules, regulations, and membership fees. If your breeder is registered with the Pug Dog Club of America, this is a great sign showing commitment to the Pug breed. Recognition awards Lastly, we look out for awards! Institutions like the AKC recognize the efforts and achievements of top breeders. The very best will be awarded the AKC recognition of merit award. During this time we recommend getting everything ready before your new arrival rattles through the front door. Your puppy will need: a crate for sleeping and training during the early days quality puppy-grade food a leash and harness plenty of toys You may also wish to purchase a puppy gate if there are areas of your home that you want to keep your Pug away from. This is all about making your home as safe as possible for your new arrival. Make sure anything that could potentially cause harm to your pup is removed. Clear your schedule Having a Pug puppy is a bit like having a human baby. So make sure to clear your schedule and get all of those errands done ahead of time! Once they arrive… 4. Avoid crowds Hold your excitement. That means no crowds. Try to keep the home environment as stress-free as possible so that your puppy can settle in and start to feel part of the family. Crate training is the first step. Lay down a regular routine from the get and your Pug will be good as gold in no time.

How does it feel to be a new puppy parent? You must be chuffed. Take a look at these first few articles. All the ingredients you need for a happy home. But for now, beside your bed is the best place for your puppy to sleep — it will help them feel safe. Puppies like their crates rather cave-like; we suggest covering it with a blanket to block out light, but keep the front open so that they can see outwards. Make sure to make it snug inside with something like a vet bed or a blanket, or why not take it up a notch with a heat pad or hot water bottle to recreate the feeling of their mother. Nothing feels more comforting than that. Before you head to bed, take your puppy out for one last round of loo-going. Set your bedtime at a later time too — midnight sounds about right. Come back calmly, and place your puppy in the crate and turn out the light. Stuff you should know about Sleep Training your Labrador Your puppy will wake up several times in the night and will need the toilet at least once! Be prepared for not-so-deep sleeps and tired mornings — just for the first few weeks. Having them sleep next to you is only temporary. Consistency is key! As for you, full nights of sleep will start getting closer and closer. Alone Training How can I teach my Labrador puppy to be ok on their own? Start by feeding your puppy in their crate during meal times. If they seem worried by you leaving, stay in view, and just pop right outside their confinement area. Keep it short and sweet: No need to stay away for long, 60 seconds tops will do for now. Repeat: Do this at least once a day to make progress go steady and smoothly. Socialisation Exercises To Do this week Letting your Labrador puppy explore the garden Besides the gnomes and questionable garden furniture you may have, letting your puppy explore your own garden is a great and safe way to start showing them the sounds, lights and wonders of the outside world. Exploring different surfaces exercise Make sure that the surfaces you use are safe — nothing too crazy just yet. Gather surfaces such as An oven tray with a small layer of water A piece of astro turf A carpet tile A large piece of tin foil, cardboard or something crinkly PRO TIP: Set up for this exercise in the room your puppy spends most of their time in — it will help them to feel safe and confident. Pop the surfaces out safely on the floor and allow your puppy to investigate them. Nobody has ever enjoyed walking on those. Remember to be patient! Lucky for you — teaching them their name is easy peasy. Say their name in a happy jolly tone and reward with a treat. Repeat five times, 5 and take a break. Practice this 2 or 3 times a day so they get the hang of it. Teach your puppy to sit Teaching your puppy how to sit is a popular one. The first two are far more common though. Keep using this word when they do the right thing, and then follow it up with a food reward. In puppy logic, stinky means yummy. How to do it Start at home; where there are no distractions. Just make sure to shut off Gogglebox in the background. Recall — How to teach our Labrador puppy to come back when called Your puppy already knows their name at this point, so this should be a walk in the park. How to do it Treats and a cheerful voice will be what works here. Do these exercises before meal times so your puppy is more motivated. Practice this 5 times a day and in 3 different places in your house and garden to get them used to coming to you in all settings. How to do it Show your puppy that you have their favourite toy, and start to get them excited about it. When they show interest, throw it a little bit away from you. They will likely follow it and pick it up. If they do, encourage them back to you with your voice, so remember to sound happy! Swap the toy for a treat or another toy and do the process again. Repeat this about 5 times. Instead create more distance and excitement sounds to get them to come to you — spaniels like to show off, so they will likely want to parade what they have! Always swap the toy for something when they have it, this could be a treat or another toy. Resource guarding occurs when we force puppies to give up items or snatch things out of their mouths. For breeds like Labradors who are designed to want to hold things in their mouths, this is pretty important! Resource guarding is when a dog protects a resource from being taken by someone else — dog or human. For some reason, there is a solid list of things puppies find irresistible: Socks. Commencing Marker Training your chocolate labrador pup Start Marker Training at 8 weeks of age When you take your 8 week old labrador pup to their new home, you should commence their obedience training immediately. Just repetitively say yes and give your pup a treat immediately. Then familiarise your labrador pup with a leash. Clip the leash to their collar and allow the pup to roam a little. This way they will adjust to its weight and the sensation around their neck. If you try to walk your pup straight away, they will simply resist. Don't pull and command, but rather cultivate a positive experience with a leash. Secondly, I recommend that you feed your new labrador pup with a leash attached until they learn to sit. This will establish you as the master and immediately teach the pup restraint. Do not give the food bowl to your dog without firstly bringing him under your control. Even with my mature dogs, I will not let them feed except on command. Feeding should never be random. Hold the leash close to the labrador pup's neck and push their rear end down to the seated position. When they are sitting, enthusiastically praise your pup and, only then, reward their obedience with food. Remember, food should always represent a reward for good behaviour. They hear tones and frequencies. When we train them, we are conditioning them to associate a particular sound with a response so that it means something to them. Labrador puppies like all dogs learn contextually and by consistent repetition. In this way, a labrador pup learns to associate sounds with responses and rewards. This is why you should reward your pup immediately when they have performed a command correctly, even if they did not intend to do so. In the early stages, I prefer to teach a dog to 'sit,' then move on to 'staying' before teaching them to 'come'. This is especially so while they are still a puppy. Remember that a 12 month old dog is still a pup. They are regularly hyperactive and overstimulated. The goal is to get your labrador puppy into a calm and submissive state as often as you can. Ensure you are demonstrating a calm and composed, yet assertive demeanor. When you are in charge, your labrador pup will willingly sit and look to you for direction. Exercise patience and be repetitive but don't overdo it. Remember that the time you put in now will help you bond with your young dog, even if they do not appear to be advancing quickly. It will be a very worthwhile investment in a long term relationship for years to come. Of these three basic commands, the 'stay' command will take more time to teach. When this is mastered and entrenched in your dog's obedience, it can save your dog from danger. You are teaching them associations, not English words. Sit Teaching your new labrador pup to sit should begin immediately when you take it home. Begin by feeding them on a leash. Hold the leash close to the pup's neck. Give the pup the 'sit' command, but don't reward them with food until they are sitting. In this way you have begun to condition the pup to the 'sit' command. This requires patience at meal time. Remember that a labrador pup requires 4 feeds a day for the first phase of their life. This gives you ample opportunity for repetition and reward. When the dog sits, reward them with a treat and a lot of enthusiastic praise. Each time they repeat the behaviour, reward them with a treat again. You can train your labrador pup for short intervals at any time. Carry a few small pieces of food. Call your pup, then reward them with lots of affirmation and a piece of food when they comply. Teach them to sit by offering a small treat. Say 'sit', then let them smell the food as you move your hand over their head. A labrador pup will automatically lift the nose in the air to follow the food. As the head moves up and back, the pup will tend to sit. Give lots of praise and gradually increase repetition as they associate the word 'sit' with the food. Stay Your Labrador pup will need to understand the 'sit' command before you advance to 'stay'. Before you give the 'stay' command, make sure that the dog is seated. To keep the dog in the sitting position, you will use your hand with the fingers pointing up and the palm in front of their face. To begin with, position yourself about half a metre away from your pup's face. Direct the 'stay' command calmly, with your hand up. Slowly take half a step back and remain there for 3 seconds to begin with. Then step back towards to the dog. Wait for another 3 sec and then reward your dog with a treat. Repeat this 5 times. Reward them at the end of each 'stay' routine by praising them enthusiastically and giving them a treat. Don't praise or reward the dog until they have remained seated in front of you for a minimum of 3 seconds when you return. Your puppy should not move a millimetre until you give the reward. If your dog breaks early, you have gone too far. Simply return to your dog, reset them in the seated position and begin the routine again. Come It is important to make sure your Labrador understands the 'stay' command before you begin the recall or 'come' command. Make sure you pup is seated before you give the 'come' command. As your walk away from your pup, maintain eye contact. Don't back away too far too soon. If the pup breaks early, give the 'come' command to establish association. When you call your dog to 'come', do not let them jump up on you. If the dog wants to stand on its back legs and reach up, place the palm of your hand on their head and hold it away from you. I suggest that you don't say 'no! The down command should be used as a more constructive training command. If your pup jumps up, make your disapproval known by using a 'dog' sound; 'Ahhh! If you find yourself becoming frustrated, then put the pup away and start again tomorrow. Don't take it personally and don't blame the dog. Corrections are necessary, but not out of frustration or anger. If it's not working, then look at your consistency and your communication. If the training is a positive experience then you will strengthen the bonding and learning process. Develop consistent communication and trust with your dog in the process of the training. Labrador pups love to please and they will be very proud of themselves when they accomplish the command and gain your approval. Pawling Chocolate and Black Labradors. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Puppies are so cute! Just the thought of a little pup romping around the room and playing with his many toys makes people smile. And puppy kisses are the best! But it takes a lot of planning and work to have a successful relationship with the new addition. Remaining with them until then helps him learn how to appropriately play and interact with others. It also teaches him bite inhibition, so that he learns not to bite down too hard on our skin. So what exactly should we expect from our 8 week old puppy? Puppy Proof Your House Puppies are curious about everything. Choose the room your puppy will be in the most and make sure that electrical cords, hazardous chemicals, medications, and small items that can be ingested are out of his reach. When you get him, try to obtain a blanket or toy with the scent of his mother and littermates if possible. That will help him feel more at ease in a new environment. The breeder of my Lhasa apso Ralphie gave us a toy with those scents to help him make the transition, as he had a familiar scent with him which I placed in his pen at home. She was born in rescue but was the last of a litter of nine to be adopted when I saw her. But she made the transition fine. These include the following: Crates and exercise pens. But make sure you buy one with a divider included so that you can adjust the size of the crate as he grows. Collar and leash. Some breeders and rescues provide these. You may also want a harness to walk him. Clean-up tools. Chew deterrent. They make chew deterrents for various surfaces, such as for cloth or for wood such as furniture or baseboards. Toys and chew items. There are so many toys on the market today. Purchase a variety of safe types—some squeak, others rattle. And safe chews like Kong toys and Nylabones are important, because the puppy will explore the world with his mouth. Food and treats. You may want to change the puppy to a food you prefer. Many breeders and rescues will provide you with starter food. Then, if you change it, do so over at least a week or two. Other Preparations In addition to puppy-proofing your home and getting the above-listed items, there are other appointments you should have lined up prior to getting your pup, if possible. Have a veterinarian appointment set for your new puppy to be checked within the first few days after you get him. So, if you can, book the appointment in advance. When you meet with the vet, ask about what vaccinations your puppy will need. Puppies who are eight-weeks old generally have already had their distemper, adenovirus II, parvovirus, and parainfluenza vaccines. Discuss with your vet the appropriate heartworm preventative and flea and tick products for your puppy. Also ask about your puppy being microchipped. A microchip is really important should your puppy get lost. If you have the time, also look into puppy kindergarten and socialization classes. Make sure that the trainer is a positive reinforcement trainer who has experience in training puppies. And the facility should be clean and well-run. All puppies admitted to any classes should also be required to have age-appropriate vaccinations. Post Arrival After your new furry bundle of joy has arrived, the fun starts! And play with him and train him. Some breeders and rescues may have already started to house train him. Scheduling Puppies need consistency. So have a schedule for his feeding, pottying, training, exercise, and socialization. At eight weeks old, he may be getting three to four feedings per day. So feed him each meal at the same time each day. And have a basic schedule for his other needs. You may need other people to help out with some of his needs, such as house training. Socialization Socialization means exposing your new puppy, in a positive manner, to all the things that he will have to face in the real world. So he should be trained to walk over various surfaces, hear everyday noises, and meet friendly people and pets. But you can still have friends and family members over to meet him. And give them tidbits of treats to give the puppy to make any encounter such as petting a positive one. Of course, first give your new puppy a few days to settle in at your home before you expose him to even more new experiences. At home, too, get him used to the sounds of water running, the dishwasher and other appliances running, and the vacuum. You get the idea. Make each a positive experience, giving him a piece of kibble or a small treat. And do this slowly not to overwhelm him. And get him used to car rides. A very young puppy will have to go to the bathroom after he eats, sleeps, and has any excitement including play. He has very little bladder control at eight weeks old. A young puppy can hold his urine about one hour more than his age. So he can hold it about three hours at two months old. You may want to have an exercise pen set up as a safe area. You can place a potty pad at one end and a bed or towel as his bed at the other end. And place a few safe toys, including a puppy Kong. I just make sure to take the puppy out at the right times. Handling Your puppy has to get used to handling and grooming. You can have him chew a safe chew or lick moist food or Kong stuffing out of a Kong to occupy his mouth and make the training exercise positive. Get him used to gently massaging his whole body, including feet and touching his nails. Get him used to gently opening his mouth. Calmly praise any calm behavior. Keep the sessions very short—a few minutes at most. You should do only a part of his body during each session or it will probably be too much for him. If he struggles, calmly wait until he settles before releasing him. Obedience Training Your new puppy is basically a blank slate. He has to learn all the commands to live with us successfully. Training also helps the puppy bond with you. Of course, give him a day or two to settle in for most commands. But you can still help him learn his identity. So, first, teach him his name. You can show him a piece of his kibble or a tiny treat and hold it near your face when you say his name. Do this a few times. Then try to just say his name, not holding the food near your face. When he looks at you, again praise and reward. Remember to never use his name in a negative manner, such as for a correction. Always start any training session without any distractions. Your puppy has to be able to focus on you to learn. One of the first commands we teach our puppies is to sit. You can hold a treat just above his nose and slowly move it back towards his forehead. Calmly praise and reward when he sits. Another command I teach puppies in the first week is to come to me. I make it a lot of fun. Some puppies adapt easily, whereas others buck against the leash. Other Normal Puppy Behaviors Puppies explore the world with their mouths. So the little land sharks will try to chew on you and whatever they can reach. This is where your safe toys and chews come in. Always redirect him to the safe items and praise when he chews them. Puppy zoomies are normal. All of a sudden, your puppy may run around the room bouncing off the furniture. This is normal. Final Thoughts New puppies are so much fun! Do you have a puppy or have you had one? Please tell us about it in the comment section below. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. Fourth meal 5 pm You should follow this type of feeding schedule until your Lab puppy is 14 weeks old, after which you can adopt a two meal per day plan. However, keep in mind that Labs are especially prone to overeating and obesity, so if you use treats, ensure you give them sparingly. In fact, a study in the UK listed Labrador Retrievers among the eight breeds most prone to being overweight. So your food-loving Lab puppy requires a bit of control. One way to keep them from overeating treats is to portion out their food for the day and use that as their reward. In most cases, the puppy will respond just as enthusiastically to kibble. Place a bowl of water in a location accessible to your puppy and supervise him to ensure he drinks enough but not too much. Puppies at this age should drink between half and one ounce of water per pound of body weight daily. So if your eight-week-old Lab is 12 lbs 5. This is an essential part of puppy care. As mentioned, if you get your puppy from a reliable breeder which should always be the case , the pup should have already started with his vaccinations, and the breeder should provide the vaccination records. Then, make an appointment with the vet for any vaccination follow-up. Also, ensure your pup stays on worm preventative medication as puppies are more prone than adult dogs to worm infection. Sometimes puppies are also born with certain types of worms from an infected mother, especially roundworms and hookworms, where mother-to-puppy transmission is a significant mode of spreading. Be especially sure that your Lab puppy gets the heartworm vaccination. Heartworm is a dangerous and potentially fatal disease, and once your dog is infected, the cure is expensive and extremely harsh on your dog. A trained dog will learn how to behave in and outside the home and around other humans and pets. I have a full beginner guide on how to train an 8 week old Labrador puppy , but in a nutshell, there are three training areas you should focus on in terms of pet training: housebreaking, obedience, and socialization. Housebreak Your 8-Week-Old Labrador Puppy Housebreaking means training your puppy to eliminate outdoors or at a designated location inside the home instead of doing it anywhere and at any time. Puppies need frequent bathroom breaks because their system is not yet mature enough to hold it for long. Luckily you can take advantage of that to teach your dog to always use the same spot. Pay attention to the signs your puppy gives when they need to ease themselves, like circling, whining, or sniffing their groin. Puppies naturally need to eliminate at these times: First thing after waking up in the morning. Last thing before retiring at night. After every meal. After drinking plenty of water. Upon waking up from a nap. During or after play or exercise. When they wake up during the night. Their brain, at this point, is like a sponge that will easily absorb new info. Also, teaching these commands early will make living with you easier for your dog as he will know what is expected of him. Teach your Lab puppy to sit, lay down, stay, leave, and other basic commands that are foundational for more advanced training later. Remember to use only positive reinforcement training approaches and reward your puppy with verbal praise, positive gesture cues, and treats. Exposure to these realities will help your Lab puppy adjust fast and nurture proper social behavior. In addition, exposure will preempt signs of poor puppy socialization, like aggression and fear around people and other animals. In general, your eight-week-old Labrador puppy should have two minute sessions of exercise daily. In addition, keep the following in mind: Keep exercise sessions short in the beginning and allow your puppy to adapt gradually. Playtime counts as exercise, so be careful not to over-exercise your Lab puppy. This is the harness I use. Allow your pup spontaneous rest moments between play. When exercising your puppy , avoid taking him for walks during the coldest or hottest times of the day. There are several ways to ensure your eight-week-old Labrador puppy is always safe, including ample supervision and choosing the right kind of toy. They might also try to get away on an exploratory walk if the door is left open. To avoid these dangers, puppy-proofing your home before getting your eight-week-old Lab puppy is vital. Read more here, What Foods are Poisonous to Labradors? Unplug power cords and put them away when not in use, as your puppy could try chewing on them. Remember that your puppy is young and still learning. It is also a legal requirement in some countries, such as the UK, and it may be required when traveling. While name tags are an excellent way to identify a dog, they can be easily removed or get lost, which means you are better off microchipping your Lab puppy, or even better, do both. Choose Safe Play Toys for Your 8-Week-Old Labrador Puppy Like us, eight-week-old puppies still have their baby teeth which they gradually lose to make room for their adult teeth. So, expect a lot of chewing and nipping during this time. Like humans, teething can be uncomfortable, and chewing is their only way to relieve some of that pain. To that end, ensure your Lab puppy has the right chewing toys to avoid damaging teeth or accidentally swallowing toy pieces. This toy is great for teething pups, doubles as a fetch toy, and is also a treat-dispensing toy where you can stuff it with peanut butter or other goodies. If proper toys are not provided, your Lab puppy will chew any available object in the house, such as table legs, shoes, remotes, or your hands. As such, they need proper resources for resting and sleeping. That includes the time to do so and a place where they will feel safe in. This synthetic dog bed has an ultra-soft feel and provides maximum comfort for your Lab. You can use it in the crate or as a stand-alone bed, and it comes in a few different styles and sizes. I like this bed due to its 3. Ensure the bed is in a location with no draft and where your puppy does not get any disturbance when resting. If you put your puppy straight into the crate without helping them adjust, it may react poorly. When buying a kennel, the best approach is to buy one that your pup can use as an adult dog, which for a Lab would be around 42 inches .Just be sure to get a crate with dividers so you can make the space smaller for your puppy. An 8-week-old Lab puppy can only walk for approximately minutes at a time. In most cases, young puppies will not walk but rather jump around and play. Still, keep in mind that they do not need long exercise sessions. Instead, keep playtimes short and allow for lots of rest. Remember that puppies should only walk about five minutes for every month of age, twice a day. At three months, you can stretch it to 15 minutes. Overwalking your Lab puppy can cause joint and bone issues and should be avoided. As such, a dog from a larger breed will need more food as a puppy than a smaller breed. An 8-week-old Lab puppy should be fed three to four meals of no more than cups a day. The amount you feed your puppy will depend on his size and weight. For example, if your puppy is between lbs 4. These measurements can vary with each dog food product, as different manufacturers have varying ingredients, so ensure you check the packaging first. Eight week old Lab puppies sleep for approximately 18 to 20 hours a day. An 8 week old Lab should pee as soon as they wake up, after eating and drinking, after waking up from a nap, during or after a session of play or exercise, just before going to bed at night, and when they awake during the night. Check Price on Amazon 6. Make Commands Only Once When it comes to training, what you give is what you get. This is known as command nagging. Teach your pup to heed a command at its first mention. If an order is not executed the first time, show your Lab what you want them to do and make the command again. Repeat that until they learn to obey the first time the command is made. Discipline at the Precise Moment of the Unwanted Behavior Timing is crucial when disciplining your 8-week-old Labrador pup. Dogs will typically forget an experience in 2 minutes. However, they can recall your training commands through associative memory. Once your pup has corrected his unwanted behavior with the desired behavior, reward him with a tasty treat and lots of praise. To learn more about how to discipline your dog, check out my top article, How to Discipline a Labrador: What Not to Do! It can also cause aggression in dogs , as found in this year-long study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania. Using physical punishment such as hitting, kicking, or grabbing the jowls and shaking, is simply animal abuse. Other unacceptable methods are physically forcing the dog down onto its side or back, growling at your dog, withdrawing food, using a shock collar, or tying it for hours. Wean Your Puppy off Training Treats Your Labrador needs to learn that skills and commands are not learned or obeyed for the sole motive of a treat. For this reason, it is important to wean your puppy off treats when he has repeatedly performed the behavior and completely mastered it in different locations and with various distractions. Nonetheless, your Labrador puppy is still a dog in training, and you still need to tell him that he has done the right thing. The rule of thumb is that they are trained young when it comes to dog training. You should train Labrador puppies as soon as you bring them home, typically around 8 weeks of age. The American Kennel Club AKC indicates that the first key milestone when training a Lab pup is 8 weeks, as soon as they have left their mother. It is a crucial time to lay the foundation for your Labrador puppy to integrate into the family. When you bring your Labrador Retriever puppy home at two months, it has most likely interacted with a few situations and is eager enough to learn and follow the rules of a new home. A recent study scientifically proved that 8-week-old puppies are quite capable of learning at this young age as they quickly learned to open a puzzle box baited with food and remembered the skill an hour later. Interestingly, these puppies learned the skill better from a human rather than their mother. Other studies have also proven that it is effective for future behavior to teach puppies socialization and other skills rather than adults. In this study, puppies who attended a command and socialization training class for one hour a day for six months responded better to strangers than adult dogs who attended the same classes. Are Lab Puppies Easy to Train? Lab puppies are easy to train. They are a working breed that enjoys physical and mental stimulation and have many positive traits. They are intelligent, devoted, friendly, highly social, and love to please. They are often used as guide dogs, therapy dogs, or search and rescue due to their easy trainability. Apart from the age factor, other breed-specific reasons make training a Labrador puppy easy. Here are three examples: Labradors are among the most intelligent dog breeds. In his book, The Intelligence of Dogs, canine psychologist Stanley Coren lists Labradors in the top tier of the smartest dogs. So, even at just two months, your puppy has it in his blood to learn and carry out commands. To perform their original working job of retrieving fish that came off the trawl, Labradors had to be watchful and enthusiastic. These are essential learning characteristics. As game and waterfowl retrievers for hunters, Labradors have to be obedient. Another core training requirement makes your Lab puppy easy to train. With these ten principles on exactly how to train an 8-week-old Labrador, you can now apply them to the key areas your young puppy needs to be trained in. Labrador Puppy Training: Key Areas There are five critical areas in which you must appropriately train your 8-week-old Lab puppy. In the next section, I will tell you what the training entails. How to Socialize a Labrador They say humans are social beings, but that is also true about dogs. Socialization begins with the breeder and continues with you. To socialize a Labrador, expose him to many different places and situations. Include sounds, smells, other adults, children, animals, cars, objects, etc. Dogs who are well socialized in the first 12 weeks will be set up for life. Socializing and training your puppy young plays a significant role in the development of adult dogs, as evidenced in this important study. Here are two key findings: Dogs that are well socialized as pups will behave more positively with humans and are less likely to display unwanted behavioral problems such as fear and aggression. Socialized dogs are more likely to engage in positive social behaviors with humans. They also learn better how to play games with humans, helping them establish a true bond with their owners. As a puppy, you can teach your Labrador social skills and confidence through intentional training moments in the family. Once he has completed his vaccinations, take him to public places such as parks or puppy socialization classes. Put him outside hourly and learn to anticipate when he needs to go. Reward and praise him when he does go outside. Usually, puppies will need to relieve themselves early in the morning and after meals. Use their natural rhythm for daily pee or poop walks. Dogs hate messing in the area they sleep in and usually hold it. Nonetheless, very young puppies might be unable to do so. Walk your Labrador after his morning meal and hang around for 15 minutes or so to allow him to do his thing. Repeat the same in the evening. Puppies will need to be allowed to relieve themselves every hour, and for vaccinated dogs, a short walk every hours is an ideal routine to prevent them from peeing around the house. If you crate your puppy because you need to go out, get someone to help you stick to the routine. Repeating this routine for the first few days will give your new furry friend a good idea of his expectations. Check out my guide to Labrador potty training here. To crate train an 8-week-old Labrador puppy, start as soon as you bring him home. Slowly introduce him to the crate by throwing a treat inside and let him explore the crate voluntarily. When you first leave him with the door closed, make sure he is tired as he will sleep and not be afraid. Check out my Best Dog Crates for Labradors and Playpens recommendations, including soft crates, travel crates, and furniture styles. Here are six key things you should practice when crate-training your Labrador: Keep your puppy in the crate at night. Initiate crate training from the very first day you bring your puppy home. It will be harder to succeed in crate training if your puppy gets used to other sleeping arrangements. My puppy cried during the first night, but she was just fine after that. Lab puppies can be left alone in a crate for 1 hour for each month of age for up to 4 hours. Keep your dog in the crate when you are out of the house. This is also for his safety, such as when you are cooking. Do not let your Lab out of the cage when barking or giving you those puppy eyes. Instead, reward good behavior in the crate, i. He will quickly learn that being quiet leads to nice things. He will quickly learn that this special place is just for him. Various toys and bedding will offer some comfort for your Labrador. When purchasing a crate for your puppy, the best ones will give your Lab enough room to stand, sit, turn, and lie down comfortably on his side with paws outstretched. Instead, buy a crate with an adjustable divider that allows him to grow into and choose a standard metal model with either a single or double door. Travel kennels like this Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel , also from Amazon, are also hardy when you are on the move with your dog. This one is even airline adaptable and meets most airline cargo specifications. Older dogs may refrain from biting because they have been trained not to hurt as they have learned their bite inhibition. This simply means that the dog has learned to control the strength of his bite. This sends the message that the bite hurts. Persist by leaving your hand in his mouth until he lets go, then use lots of praise. All puppies need to master this technique that they initially learned from their mother and littermates. Learn Bite Inhibition Training! Training your Lab puppy to soft bite must be done in puppyhood as an adolescent dog will not know how to adjust the force of his jaws when he has adult teeth and adult jaw muscles. This can be devastating for you both, should your Labrador go on to bite someone! Have realistic expectations — as it can take your puppy weeks to learn his soft bite. How to Train a Labrador Puppy to Walk on a Leash Walking on a leash is not a natural skill in dogs — they need to learn it! Teach a leash cue, then introduce the pup to very short walks. If the dog pulls, stand fast and wait for him to return to you before continuing. Do this by letting him wear them for short periods inside the house and yard. I find the best no-pull harness to be those that are not rear-attached, such as the Walk Your Dog With Love harness. They give you more control and are ideal for medium-large breeds. Give a treat when the command is obeyed. Introduce your Lab to short walks outside on a leash. When it appears he is about to lunge toward another dog or object, quickly distract him with a treat. Timing is crucial. Reward him every time commands are obeyed and gradually reduce the rewards as the art of leash walking is perfected. You can start steps 1 and 2 when the puppy is young, but you can only commence step 3 once the dog has been vaccinated. Final Thoughts Eight weeks old is the perfect time to train a Labrador puppy in key areas such as socialization, crate training, potty training, not biting, and leash training. To successfully train your Lab puppy in these areas, you must follow good training principles such as using reward-based training, being consistent in your commands, and disciplining at the precise moment of poor behavior. Begin with basic commands before introducing more complex or trick commands. Related Posts You May Like:. Crate training , potty training , and learning to settle at night and will all begin in earnest at 8 weeks. Is your 8 week old puppy driving you crazy? Puppies, like babies, can be hard work. Not to mention annoying, and frustrating! But hang on in there. Chances are, you are sleep deprived, and your life has been turned upside down too. Many of the problems that arise with a new baby puppy, are easily resolved with just a little help. And looking after your puppy with diarrhea is no fun. Which he will, because Labrador puppies are always hungry! You have to ration out his food for him. You need to know how much your puppy needs to eat in a 24 hour period, and then divide that amount between at least 4 meals. First night with puppy Your 8 week old puppy should not sleep in or on your bed. Bed sharing with new puppies is too dangerous. He might fall off, and is likely to leave little puddles on your mattress and carpet. Later on you can bed share with your dog if you want to, but not right now, at least not unless you puppy proof the room and sleep on the floor. Your 8 week old puppy should not be free to roam the house at night. There is so much potential for harm. Even if you only sleep for six hours or so, there is a great deal of mischief your puppy can get up to in that time. So, the three main options that work well for 8 week old puppies are described next First night options for an 8 week old puppy Here are those three alternative sleeping arrangement for the first few nights Safe sleeping area Sturdy box or crate next to your bed 1 The puppy safe sleeping area Just before you go to bed and after taking your outside to empty himself, you can put the puppy to bed in a puppy proof room with a washable floor. Or you can put his bed inside a large puppy playpen. Put plenty of newspaper or puppy pads down to cover most of the floor. On the other hand you WILL have to get up in the night. Which option is best? It may also result in vomiting and diarrhea for your pup, and a lot of clearing up for you. It might seem irrational to you, but there are good reasons for your puppy to be scared. If asked to sleep alone on the first night in their new home, they usually cry. For a surprisingly long time. Unless you live in a mansion, you will be able to hear him. And so will your neighbors. The best way around this, is to have the puppy sleep next to you for the first few nights as described in Option 3 above. New puppies learn very quickly. Whilst initial crying is the result of fear or loneliness, puppies they soon discover that crying gets them attention. How much do puppies sleep? Your 8 week old puppy will spend around 18 to 20 hours asleep out of every .But dogs continue to sleep for long periods throughout their lives. Sleeping often and deeply is normal for an 8 week old puppy. This is nothing to worry about if your puppy is energetic and playful when awake, eating and growing well, and seems healthy in every other respect Potty training your 8 week old puppy. Potty training your 8 week old Labrador puppy can start on the very first day. A few new puppies can last six or seven hours at night without a wee. But many cannot do this until they are around ten weeks old. If you crate your puppy at night, expect to get up in the middle night and take your puppy outside for a wee, for up to two weeks. If you opt to leave your puppy at night with puppy pads or newspaper, expect it to take a little longer than this before you come down to a nice clean floor each morning. Getting up earlier for a while is a given with an 8 week old puppy. Puppies pee much more frequently often the day. Some new puppies can last an hour or so between wees, but again, many cannot. If you are going back to work, or want to leave your puppy for three to four hours before he is five or six months old, and you want to crate train, you need to arrange for someone else to take care of him during the day. Even for this short period of time. An 8 week old puppy should not be left in a crate for hours at a time during the day. The secret to success in crate training a new puppy lies in getting good habits established from the start. And this means getting that puppy outside to his toilet area, whenever his little bladder is getting full. Your puppy will quickly become comfortable with you disappearing for a few minutes if you reliably return. But too much isolation is a common cause of noisy or destructive behavior. Puppies need company. Older puppies may cope happily with being left for up to four hours, but even an adult Labrador may become distressed or destructive if left alone for a full working day on a regular basis. Labradors are very sociable dogs and they need to have people around them. No matter how many walks he gets at the weekend. Puppies biting Most people know that puppies nip when teething. Despite learning early bite inhibition from their mother and littermates, puppies continue this spikey behavior when you bring them home. Destructive puppy behavior Your 8 week old puppy will chew, gnaw and dig around the home. It can be quite a shock to discover just how destructive a Labrador can be, both indoors and out, especially if left unsupervised for long periods of time. Expect your puppy to destroy anything he can get in his mouth. Indoors and out. Some even chew the skirting boards, rip plaster from the walls, and tear up carpets in their homes. Supervision, playpens and puppy crates will help keep your home in tact during the destructive phase. Puppies running off 8 week old puppies need time off leash. Tiny puppies have an automatic response with means that they follow people around. This response disappears by the time the puppy is around four or five months old. Labradors are retrieving dogs. They love to hunt and follow scent trails. Expect that an older puppy will want to explore away from you and get that off lead recall established well before he is six months old. Expect that an older puppy will stray further and further away on walks if you are too predictable and just traipse along behind him. Teach him to follow you and not the other way around. What we expect from an 8 week old puppy We expect an awful lot from our tiny puppies. Both when they are still very small, and then as they grow bigger. Some of our expectations are simply not in line with the way puppies think and behave. Cuddles We expect that puppies will enjoy being cuddled. Sometimes they do, mostly they are just being polite. TIP: Wait for your puppy to stop wriggling before you place him on the floor or he will wriggle harder next time! A fun friend for children We expect that our children will be able to play with a new puppy, but small puppies often bite and wriggle too much for little ones to enjoy them. Those pleasures tend to come later TIP: Use baby gates to give toddlers and puppies space apart from one another Success and quick results We expect that the efforts we put in to housetraining will be rewarded, that the puppy will listen to what we say. But potty training and obedience training take time. Your 8 week old puppy will have accidents in the house to begin with and needs your help to understand what you want him to do next. As he grows, we expect our puppy to return our love and affection, to respect us, be loyal, and obedient. And he will be, in time. Nor had we anticipated just how depressing it would be to clear up puppy pee and poop every time we get up in the morning, or return home from a quick shopping trip. But they are common reasons for people to become disenchanted with their furry companion. One of our aims here on The Labrador Site is to help close this gap between expectations and reality. So that puppies go into their new homes, and stay there for the rest of their lives. And most of the problems described above can be avoided or passed through without too much pain, if you have the right information! And a little preparation. You can do this if you are ready. Much puppy naughtiness is linked to over-excitement. Focus on being calm around your puppy, and read up on how to train your puppy effectively. The considered and appropriate use of a crate and baby gates, is a great way to prevent conflict between puppies and their families. Confinement is not a substitute for companionship and training though, and of course it is very important to be sure you have enough time in your life for a Labrador, before going ahead and getting that lovely puppy. Do check out our article: are you ready for a Labrador , before you take the plunge.

All breeds of Labrador Retrievers are known for being kind and gentle — and this trait runs especially strong with the chocolate-colored sweeties. While these dogs are very friendly to strangers, they have even more affection to give to their beloved families. Your Chocolate Lab puppy or adult will be happiest spending time with their favorite people. If you have young children, a lab is a great fit, as this breed is usually quite tolerant of the horseplay of small children who are still learning how to interact with pets. Just like many people, Chocolate Labs enjoy both downtime — especially if it involves being pampered by their family — and active high-energy fun. We recommend daily exercise, which can include anything from fetch, to tag, or even frisbee games. The average Chocolate Lab lifespan is between 9 and 11 years. The most common Chocolate Lab health problem is hip dysplasia, which occurs more commonly in older and overweight dogs. This is just one of the reasons to make exercise a common part of your time with a Chocolate Lab puppy or fully grown adult. Another problem that occurs in overweight labs is joint and movement issues. The other most common Chocolate Lab health problems are: Progressive Retinal Atrophy Cataracts Elbow Dysplasia As is the case with any dog, when you bring home a Chocolate Labrador, make sure that you have a good vet to handle routing vaccinations and check-ups as well as emergency health problems. Learn more about the Keystone Puppies Health Guarantee! Chocolate Lab Coat Care In general, Chocolate Lab coat care is easy compared to many other dog breeds which require weekly or daily work. Labrador Retrievers all have double coats, which includes an under layer of short hairs and a slightly longer top layer. This coat is useful for repelling water and keeping them cool in warmer temperatures — and warm in cooler ones. Their coat is also noted to be slightly dry and oily. Chocolate Lab coat care is fairly minimal and considered low maintenance. The coat should be brushed with a firm bristle brush 2 — 3 times per month to minimize shedding. In addition to that, baths are needed fairly infrequently. What is more crucial is ensuring that their toenails are well cared for throughout the year. Meet Chocolate Lab Puppies for Sale. Find out how we get chocolate, black or yellow puppies and what color pups we might get when we mix Labradors of different colors. Strictly speaking, there are only three different types of Labrador color: black Labs, brown Labs usually referred to as chocolate and yellow Labs. These are the three colors recognized and accepted by the Kennel Club In practice, there is a wide range of shades of yellow Labrador color, from palest cream to richest fox red. But what makes a Labrador brown, or black, or yellow. And what about Silver Labradors? Where does this new and controversial coat color come in to play? Where do Black and Chocolate Labradors come from? The information that determines whether or not your Labrador is basically black or basically chocolate is passed on through a pair of genes. Why black is a dominant color: It is normal for dominant genes to switch off, or over-ride, recessive genes. And that is exactly what happens here. A dog with BB genes will be black, because he has no little b gene, the one that gives us a brown coat. But a Bb dog will be black too, because if the dominant black gene is present, it switches off the brown gene. How chocolate Labradors are made: Even though a dog inherits a little b gene, the dog will only appear brown if no black gene B is present at all. Two black genes BB gives you a black Labrador One of each Bb also give you a black Labrador Two brown genes bb gives you a chocolate Labrador Remember that the black dominant gene always switches of the brown gene, so only the dog at the bottom will actually look brown. Generation after generation of black dogs can continue to have only black puppies if dogs with the Bb gene are only ever mated to dogs with BB genes. Remember, the dog in the middle of our list above will look black, but pass the brown gene on to about half of all its offspring. But things are never that simple are they? Because of course some Labradors are neither black nor brown. The genetic information that creates a yellow coat comes from another pair of genes altogether. And these genes have a different kind of power. The result is a yellow dog But little ee is recessive, and if the dominant E gene is present, it switches off the masking gene. It only takes one big E gene to do this. So the dog will only appear yellow if no big E gene is present at all. There are three possible combinations of eee gene that a dog could inherit. There are nine different possible combinations. Nine different possible Labrador genotypes! The chart below lists them genotype is the genetic makeup, phenotype is the appearance of the dog. Old chocolate Labs I have been writing about Labradors for many years now, and there is no doubt in my mind that they are all wonderful dogs. But the chocolate Labrador is special. Meet Rachael, my Beautiful Brown Lab All Labradors are beautiful, of course, but brown Labradors will always hold a special place in my heart. In fact, I am unashamedly biased! You see, I am lucky enough to share my life with Rachael. A female chocolate retriever from a mixture of American and English Lab lines. This is Rachael as a puppy. This page is a celebration of what is for me, one of the most beautiful dogs in the world. Rachael has been a huge source of inspiration for this website, so this is a little tribute to her and a thank you for all she has taught me. Where do Chocolate Labs come from? But they had been around for some years before that. The Labrador breed was developed mainly by a couple of English aristocrats in the s, from dogs they had imported from North America. Although our early Labrador Retrievers were predominantly black, some of these original dogs carried the genetic information required to produce chocolate puppies. Just as some also carried the information required to produce yellow puppies. If mainly black dogs were bred from, you may wonder how a brown puppy was ever born! To understand that, we need to take a peep at the genes that carry the code for coat color in the Labrador retriever. How is the Chocolate Color Inherited in Labradors? The instructions that tell your dog what to look like, and what color to be, come packed in genes. And genes come in pairs. This is true for the gene that determines whether or not the Labrador will be brown this gene is called b or black B. Every Labrador has either two genes for a black coat BB or two genes for a brown coat bb or one of each Bb. The color black in Labradors is dominant. That means that if a Labrador has one gene for the color brown, and one gene for the color black, the dog will be black. This is because his black gene switches off the brown one. The brown gene just sits hidden inside him doing nothing in particular, while the black gene takes control of his coat. What about Chocolate Labs? So for a chocolate Lab puppy to be born, he needs to have those two chocolate genes, one is not enough. However, a black Labrador can sneakily carry a brown gene Bb and pass it along to his children. This is how the color brown can and did remain hidden in generation after generation of black Labradors. Shedding chocolate Labs can appear paler as the undercoat shows through more when deep in shed. In old age their coat can also fade, especially around their face. Why were Chocolate Labs not Wanted? So if there were always brown genes in our Labrador population, there have always been occasional brown puppies. All that was required to produce some chocolate Labrador Retriever puppies was for someone to mate a black dog carrying brown Bb with another black dog carrying brown. And hey presto, some of this litter of puppies are brown! And of course in the days long before DNA tests,, there was no way of knowing for sure that a black dog was carrying brown, until he had made some brown puppies. By which time it was too late! It seems bizarre to us now, in a world where chocolate is such a popular color in dogs. But in the early s only black would do. When did Chocolate Labs become Popular? By the s and 30s a few brown or liver Labradors as they were then called were making an appearance on the shooting field. But for some years more, brown was not widely acceptable to Labrador enthusiasts. Chocolate Labs are loving dogs, full of warmth and enthusiasm That preference continues today, and we still often name our brown Labs after favorite snack bars and chocolate flavored drinks! The s was a turning point in the popularity of the chocolate Lab, but interest grew slowly at first. Gradually, the public began to demand more chocolate Lab puppies, and gradually breeders began to produce them. Over the next few decades, Chocolate Labradors became increasingly popular both in the show ring and as pets. In the shooting community, where Labradors were expected to do a job of work, the preference for black continued. This continued throughout the late s, and into the present day, particularly in the UK. American Chocolate Lab American chocolate Labradors were bred to work, and are also known as field Labradors. The chocolate Lab has now become more established in the working community, but they are harder to find. There is a rumour going around that this is because brown Labradors are a bit stupid! But is it true? You might also have noticed that chocolate Labs are rarely seen as seeing eye dogs. Chocolate Lab Characteristics Just like you and me, every dog is a product of both his environment. As well as the genes he is born with. We have seen that many chocolate Labradors come from show Labrador lines, and these bloodlines tend to have certain characteristics in common. Characteristics that are passed along from parent to puppy. Chocolate Lab size varies quite a bit. Show Labradors English are often more heavily built, and somewhat slower and physically less agile than their field bred counterparts. Some English brown Labs may reach 80 or 90lbs without being fat or overweight. Whereas American chocolate Labs are often lighter. My Rachael, for example, weighs less than 60lbs. Most males of her build will weigh five or ten pounds more. English chocolate Labs are also more likely to have a chunky Labrador head and thick otter tail. And while some feel that the chunkiness of the skull has been taken too far in show lines, there is no denying the beauty of a classic Labrador head. A brown Labrador is more likely to be from these show types of bloodline and are therefore more likely to share these general characteristics. But there is more. Chocolate Lab Temperament American Labs may have a more intense retrieve drive, or urge to chase and retrieve things than their show bred cousins. In short, they are desperate to please. Over many generations this biddable quality has been bred into our working Labs alongside their retrieving and hunting prowess. This has given working dogs a rather different temperament from our show stock. Chocolate Lab Intelligence In show dogs you may see a more robust temperament. An English chocolate Lab is often less concerned over the little ups and downs of life. Nothing is taken too seriously. Many English chocolate Lab owners report that their dogs are especially playful. And I have certainly found that to be the case with Rachael. She adores soft toys and spends hours playing with her Flat Squirrel! However, they may less distractible, more focused and therefore easier to train. This can certainly give the impression of a dog that is pretty smart. These dogs may also be more likely to be black. English Labs are still highly intelligent, highly trainable dogs. The differences between field and show might give you the edge in competition. They are also becoming increasingly irrelevant as we switch to more modern methods of training which are much better at motivating dogs to engage in the training process. We mentioned earlier that the color black has long been favoured by the working retriever community. Experienced, working gundog enthusiasts are less likely to buy a puppy that is not from working lines, and when they do, they are more likely to choose a black dog. Unsurprisingly this means that most working lines of Labs are predominantly black. Black is also a great color for a hunting companion. A yellow dog really stands out in the countryside, even in poor light, so even when yellow dogs became more common, they were not so popular with the hunter. Brown dogs are better camouflaged but became more numerous much later and were embraced first by the pet and show communities. Are Chocolate Labs Stupid? To my knowledge, no study has ever been carried out on the differing intellectual abilities of Labrador of different colors. Everything you hear is based on personal anecdotal stories, often passed along in fun. At least to begin with! She has very intense retrieve drive, but is less naturally keen to share the outcome with anyone. She is also easily distracted and because of this she has taken me a little longer to train than my working line Labs. But it is most unlikely that there is any distinct difference in intelligence between dogs of the same breed that happen to be a different color. Being chocolate does not make a dog stupid Even if there were a difference in learning ability between different colored dogs, it does not mean that one caused the other. The answer lies in the behavior and temperament of dogs from different bloodlines. Types of chocolate Labs The difference in trainability is in short a feature of the difference between the field bred dog and the show bred dog. Not a feature of the color of the dog. It is a coincidence that many chocolate Labradors are English in type, and many black Labs are American in type. Because of this coincidence the characteristics of the show bred Lab tend to be attributed to our brown friends. While the characteristics of the field bred Lab tend to be attributed to our black dogs. So you can see how the myth got started. The fact is, that chocolate Labs from working lines are just as easy to train as black Labs from working lines. But you are less likely to meet a chocolate Lab from working lines at the moment. But rest assured, your chocolate friend is not stupid. With modern training methods you can easily teach him to be a well behaved and obedient dog. Chocolate Labrador Shades Unlike our yellow Labradors — which come in a wide range of shades, the color chocolate is pretty consistent in puppyhood. Most chocolate Labs are quite similar in color. As the old hair dies it starts to lose some of its color, and the dead hair is much paler than the glossy new coat that will soon appear. And though some chocolate Labs are darker than others, even when taking the stage of moult into account, variations between individuals are fairly small, with one very contentious exception. The Silver Labrador. Silver Labs Are Chocolate Labs Silver Labradors have a gene which dilutes the color chocolate and makes it a pale, silvery shade. Some people find this very attractive, while others regard it as an abomination. There is no doubt that a hundred years ago, there was no coat dilution gene in our Labrador Retrievers. We know for sure that this gene has appeared quite recently. The strongest theory is that the gene arrived through cross breeding a Labrador with a dog that carries the dilute coat color gene. A breed such as the Weimaraner for example. This seems rather less likely. Not as silver itself. A bright Future for the Chocolate Lab Throughout history, there have been a number of famous black Labradors, and we tend to associate yellow Labs with the all important role of working as assistance dogs. This is not because chocolate Lab dogs lack the qualities or abilities of black and yellow dogs, but simply because the popularity of the color is a relatively recent phenomenon. There are as we speak, plenty of chocolate Labradors serving in the military, working as assistance dogs and in the shooting field. Maybe you have a story to tell about your own chocolate friend, or maybe you are just starting out on your journey to finding a chocolate Lab to share your life. We have some tips for searching in the right places. The other way, is to buy a chocolate Lab puppy and raise him yourself. There are pros and cons to both rescuing an older dog and raising your own puppy, I go into these in some detail in The Labrador Handbook. It may well depend on what stage of life your family is at and on how experienced you are with dogs in general, and with Labradors in particular. You can buy both books from Amazon by following links above. If rescuing appeals to you, and you are ready for the challenges and the many benefits of giving a dog a new lease of life, there are plenty of rescue societies that specialise in Labradors. Rescuing can be a wonderful and fulfilling way of bringing a lovely brown retriever into your life, so do consider it thoroughly. You can find lots more information here: Is a rescue Labrador right for you and here The right dog for you- Puppy or Rescue? If now is not the right time for you to rescue an older dog. Or if you are getting a Labrador for a special purpose — as a hunting companion for example — you may be better off with a new puppy. If someone wants to sell you a puppy much younger than that, alarm bells should be ringing. You also need to make sure you buy your puppy from the right place. This means choosing the right breeder. And avoiding puppy mills and pet stores. If you want a puppy for hunting, you need to go to a breeder that specialises in field-bred dogs. If you want to get involved in the world of showing, you need to go to a breeder that breeds Labradors for the show ring. It is possible to train a show dog for work, though he or she is unlikely to get far in high level field competitions. It is not normally possible to succeed in the show ring with a field bred dog. Keep this in mind. Chocolate Labrador Puppy Health Labradors of all colors suffer from inherited disorders. Please, please make sure your puppy is from health tested parents — it may all end in tears if you omit this important step. Their parents should have good hip scores, good elbow scores, clear eye tests and be PRA clear too. But does picking a chocolate Lab puppy set you off on the wrong foot in terms of health from the start? Are Chocolate Labs Unhealthy? In a study hit the headlines hard, and had a lot of chocolate Lab owners in a panic. Their research suggested that there is a link between Lab color and not just health, but lifespan too. Over 33, Labs were studies, with .Giving a good sample size. Chocolate Labs in the study were more likely to have dermatitis, which matches with some colloquial findings of owners of silver Labs with skin problems. Ear problems are also more common, and this is in fact something Rachael has even suffered with in the past. Gastrointestinal issues were more common with chocolate Labradors too. Chocolate Labradors live on average for just .At least according to this study. Interestingly, they were least likely to have degenerative joint disease or dental problems. It reduces the chances of your pup becoming ill. But it is also important to look at the coefficient of inbreeding. Chocolate Labs get their color from a recessive gene. This means that to ensure you have a litter of chocolate puppies you need to breed from two chocolate parents. Reducing gene pools will always increase health problems. Finding a puppy with a very low coefficient of inbreeding will help you to avoid some of these problems. In addition to health testing, of course. It would also be sensible to avoid a chocolate Lab puppy with parents with a history of ear or skin problems. You can find out more about health issues in Labradors in this article: Health screening for Labrador Diseases. And there is lots of information on finding a good breeder here: Labrador breeders — how to find a good one Training and Exercising your Chocolate Labrador My advice for training and exercising your chocolate Labrador is to figure out what type of lines your dog is from and adjust your expectations accordingly. Then to follow a good positive reinforcement training programme. Make sure you exercise his mind as well as his body. Even if you never intend to take him hunting, he still needs a job to do, retrieves to complete, toys to find, streams to cross and so on. If your dog is from show lines, he too needs training and plenty of exercise, but he may also need plenty of play. Toys and games, and other dogs to interact with. Training my Chocolate Lab Even at seven years old, Rachael still loves to play with other dogs and with people. She is hugely enthusiastic about meeting people and dogs and prone to be over-friendly. And I have to make a special effort to ensure that she is not allowed to interact with visitors until she is sitting calmly. On the plus side, I have had to spend less time socialising Rachael than I would with a field bred lab. As she takes everything in her stride. Too friendly! You may find she is intensely friendly and rather distractible, so this aspect of his education is important. Above all, treat your chocolate labrador like an individual. He is far more than just a product of his breeding and environment. He is a unique character, there will never be another quite like him Caring for an old Chocolate Lab As the years pass by, we leave behind one set of challenges and they are replaced by new ones. Failing eyesight, stiff joints, and declining hearing. However, these senior years can still be happy and fun filled for many dogs, especially if you keep your dog slim. If your chocolate friend is quite heavily built as many chocolates are, you need to be extra careful to keep an eye on his weight as he ages. More body weight means more stress and strain on joints, this can aggravate problems like arthritis in older dogs. I personally think that elderly chocolate Labradors are particularly beautiful, with their greying muzzles and kind eyes. Of course, you will want to make your old friend as comfortable as you can. Tell us what is so special about your chocolate Labrador and why you think they are the best. Life Span Did You Know? Labrador Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds. The Chocolate Labrador Retriever is not a distinct dog breed from other Labs, but it is a separate coat color variation that is specifically bred for. Similar to the other standard coat colors of Labrador Retrievers, Chocolate Labs are energetic dogs that get along well in a family setting. As a Retriever, they also make great hunting dogs and have also been known to fill other working dog roles including service dogs, guide dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, and more. They are even one of the common dog breeds employed in K-9 units. A point of interest is that all modern Chocolate Labrador Retrievers can be traced to three specific Black Labradors that lived during the s. Chocolate Labs are industrious little pups. They were bred for retrieval and will often sniff about for something to get into. They are also one of the most affectionate dog breeds and absolutely love being with their favorite humans. Properly socialized and well-trained, Labs are one of the kid-friendly dog breeds. They get along well with children, other dogs, and other pets. They are famously even-tempered and playful. This makes them fantastic dogs for a growing family, as they tend to be gentle and patient with little ones. They can have a high prey drive. They usually do well with small pets within the family that they have been raised with or socialized around, but likely will still have the urge to chase other animals while out and about. They also tend to be open and friendly with strangers. After all, strangers are just more people to give them attention and play with them. Chocolate Labrador Retrievers may be high-energy dogs, but they are also highly adaptable. They will thrive in homes with fenced yards where they can run freely. They can adapt well to apartment living as well as long as they get plenty of daily exercise, attention, and mental stimulation. Their natural urge to dig and bark when they are bored or agitated can be quelled with a little training and exercise. Although they can handle some alone time, Labs love to be with their families and thrive on attention from them, so they do not like to spend long periods of time alone. Chocolate Labs also have a water-resistant double coat that makes them well-suited for most habitable climates. As with most dogs, they are sensitive to heat. Although they can handle some cold and will likely love to play in the snow, they are not a snow dog breed and may need to bundle up while out on walks in areas with harsher winters. Potential health concerns to be aware of in a Chocolate Labrador Retriever can include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia , progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, hereditary myopathy, and heart disease. There is also a condition with a genetic link called exercise-induced collapse EIC , which can occur in young adult Labradors. Carriers of this can be identified by DNA tests and it is advised that breeders test for this and avoid practices that would produce the disease. Good breeding practices make a big difference in the health of puppies and reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. Make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of both parents and about any health tests or clearances that have been done. As a large, deep-chested dog breed, Labrador Retrievers are at a higher risk for bloat. Bloat in dogs can be dangerous and can quickly become fatal if the stomach flips gastric torsion. Chocolate Labrador Retrievers are incredible companions and are also one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners. Their energy can make them a handful at times, but their intelligence, adaptability, patience with people, and eagerness to please make them easy to train. Labs are one of the smartest dog breeds , so they pick up on things easily. As long as training is consistent and focused on positive reward and praise, a Chocolate Lab will do their best to respond as expected and will often exceed expectations. Chocolate Labs have a short, water-resistant coat that will shed year-round. Brushing a few times a week, daily brushing during seasonal shedding, and the occasional bath are all that are needed to keep a Lab coat healthy and looking great. They may need baths more often if they are avid swimmers, go on a lot of outdoor adventures, and get dirty a lot. Floppy ears tend to trap dirt, moisture, and debris. Proper dental care for dogs is imperative to help prevent painful dental diseases like gum disease or tooth decay later in life. You can also supplement your dental care efforts with vet-approved dental hygiene chews. Labrador Retrievers are one of the most active dog breeds and need a lot of daily activity to be happy and healthy. Daily walks plus playtime, time to run, and other activities are usually enough, but your Chocolate Labrador will likely be up for more activity if you are. One of the facts about Labrador Retrievers is that they have an extended puppyhood and tend to maintain that puppy-like energy and maturity until they are years old. Swimming can be a great lower-impact activity and Labrador Retrievers are one of the dog breeds that tend to love water. Between that, their water-resistant coat, and webbed toes, you may have trouble getting your Chocolate Lab out of the water. Fully-grown Chocolate Labrador Retrievers usually stand inches tall and weigh pounds. Chocolate Labs generally live for years on average. Fourteen years later, the American Kennel Club did the same in .Featured Chocolate Labrador Retriever Article.

Vocality level 3 in 5 Disclaimer: While the characteristics mentioned here may frequently represent this breed, dogs are individuals whose personalities and appearances will vary. Please consult the adoption organization for details on a specific pet. Temperament The French Bulldog is a clown in a lapdog. They enjoy playing and entertaining their family, as well as cuddling and snoozing with their favorite person. They are amiable, sweet, companionable, and willing to please. A short walk on lead is sufficient to meet most of its physical needs. Frenchie snores and may wheeze and drool. Require minimal coat care Facial wrinkles should be regularly cleaned. Brachycephalic syndrome stenotic nares, elongated soft palate Intervertebral disk disease CHD seldom causes symptoms or problems Allergies History Where are French Bulldogs from? In the nineteenth century, the Bulldog was fairly popular in England, especially around Nottingham. The French women, especially, were attracted to these little Bulldogs, especially those with erect ears a common but disliked feature in England. Dog dealers brought more of the clownish little dogs to France, where they soon became the rage of Paris. The dogs were dubbed Bouledogue Francais. How big do French Bulldogs get? Some Bulldogs are quite small weighing less than 25 lbs, however, dogs in this breed on average, weigh 28 lbs. What are some French Bulldog facts and information? Facts French Bulldogs are best known for: Bat ears. We produce all of the brindles in black, blue, chocolate, lilac , fawns and sables in golden, red, blue, chocolate, lilac , creams, pure coats and tan points in black, blue, chocolate, lilac , and pieds in ALL of these beautiful colors! Call Us Are you ready to own the most popular dog breed in the U. We appreciate you visiting our site, whether you have been here many times in the past, or if this is the first time you have paid us a visit. We hope that the time you spend with us will be enjoyable, and that you will feel it is worth your time and effort. Of course, we invite you to come back as often as time permits, as we have provided a lot of information regarding the French Bulldog, and we doubt if you will cover everything in one visit. Under Owner Information, you will find a lot of information to help you determine if the French Bulldog is the breed for you. There are also FAQs for New Owners, if you have made the decision to adopt one of these wonderful dogs. Under Owner Info, you will also find several products that we use and highly endorse. We then have the unpleasant talk about scammers, who are rampant in the puppy arena, especially regarding French Bulldog puppies. If you see a deal that sounds too good to be true, there is a .It breaks our hearts every time we are contacted by someone who has been scammed, or nearly scammed. Please be careful. Lastly, under Owner Info, you will find information regarding our contract and our guarantee, which we believe is one of the best available, and it is the least we will do in the unlikely event that there is a problem with one of our dogs. Under Our Frenchies, you will find information regarding our breeding males, our females which have puppies on the ground, and retirees that are ready for their forever homes. We are very proud of the breeding male and females we have assembled. You can click on Former Puppies and scroll down to see a few examples of all of the various colors that Frenchies come in that we have produced in the past. We know that the different colors can be a bit confusing, so we have tried to make it as straight forward as possible. The only problem is that there are so many gorgeous colors that they come in, a decision regarding color preferences can be difficult .Also, under Our Frenchies, you can click on New Puppies to see all of our currently available puppies, along with a list of the litters that are born, but not yet introduced. We have placed multiple puppies in every state of the union except Hawaii, as they have a very long quarantine period. We have been using very responsible puppy nannies for years to deliver puppies to major airports all over the country, for very reasonable rates. We would love to work with you to place the perfect little Frenchie in your home. Some of our puppies, especially very specific requests, are placed with clients on our waiting list, but many are available to potential clients that are looking for puppies right away. If you are looking for a high-quality Frenchie puppy, please contact us and we will send information which will help you determine if we might be the breeder for you. We will do our best to help you adopt the Frenchie of your dreams. We do not post earlier videos. All of the puppies shown in the videos will have had their vet checks and will be available for adoption with the exception of a few that we may belatedly decide to hold back. Generally, those that we will be holding back will not be included in the videos. As a reminder to each of our Waiting List clients who have passed on prior puppies due to poor timing, when you are ready for your puppy, please let us know so we do not bypass your name when we are placing new litters. Meeting the puppy Nanny was easy and smooth at the airport! Hank was love at first sight. Happy Holidays! Just thought I would write to give you an update on our Dieter. Thank you again for doing what you do, and raising such amazing dogs! Dieter is loved by all who meet him, and he has met several people on his adventures this year. He is such a mischievous, but entertaining boy. He is the sweetest, craziest, cutest, cuddliest, puppy! Hi everyone! Just wanted to give you guys an update on Hank Mowgli. He is the center of every minute in my girls day. There were tears of joy and excitement — it was wonderful! Night went well — I had my hand in her kennel so she could sleep — she would make sure it was there and then fall back to […] Danielle, Rich and Rowan Hi BlueHaven!! Hope all is well! Rich and I would like to thank you for the care and love you put into your breeding program. Rowan is a healthy and fun-loving Frenchie! We hope all is well in your neck of the woods. All is well here. Originally, when we listed our preferred colors, we did not select brindle, but as you can see, once we saw GiGi, […] Catherine, Nick, Kolbie, Natty, and Dieter Dieter had an awesome first night. Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving! Just wanted to send an update on Pearl formerly Sinah. At nearly 4 months old now; Pearl is doing very, very well. She had her 3rd series of shots and vet check last week and is perfectly healthy.

Map Wally is a wonderful and handsome 4 yr-old Golden Retriever. He is not your typical Golden for a variety of reasons. He weighs 63 lbs so is smaller than any Golden male 4 we have owned. We love his size as does practically everyone he meets. He runs like a thoroughbred horse and loves agility challenges. His smooth and silky coat is also huge plus. People are amazed when they pet him. He was easily trained and will do anything to please. He loves area dog parks and gets along with all dogs. Another big plus is that Wally is not afraid of loud noises and never even whimpers during thunderstorms or fireworks. He travels easily. He swims nearly every day and has had no ear infections to date. Nor does he have any allergies or skin issues. Wally has not been hunted because of owners age. Wally has so much hunting potential—he has a great nose and loves retrieving on land in water. His endurance is remarkable because of his athletic body and conditioning. Our vet says he is an amazing physical specimen. However, as time evolved we realized we had a great dog with physical attributes that stand out from the crowd. Others agree including a prominent Golden breeder in Minnesota who is a close friend. Wally has been genetically tested and the report is available upon request as are vet reports. Some great videos of Wally are also available. Photos of some of the puppies he has fathered available upon request. A 4-generation pedigree is available too. Wally fathered his first litter of 9 beautiful Golden pups all female on February 1, .Breeder lives in Appleton and reported all pups easily placed. Wally has bred 4 Goldens successfully so far in .All were placed with no advertising. Another one of his litters produced 10 pups 5 female 5 male in Tomah, WI, August and will available for placement in September. Two other litters forthcoming fall .Wally is a great stud dog for smaller Goldens under 65 lbs. If your female is larger consider artificial insemination. Talk to your vet about that option. See real-time photos and information about dogs currently available by clicking or tapping on FETCH below. The search tool above returns a list of breeders located nearest to the zip or postal code you enter. From there you can see photos of their pups, find detailed information on their web page and contact them by e-mail, phone and even get driving directions. Detailed contact information has been omitted. Enter your zip or postal code above to access our up-to-date directory. This is a free search tool! Use the form at the top to get complete listings for breeders in your area! Important: Breeders. It is your responsibility to investigate. See How to Find a Dog. Garcin Goldens Portage, WI, Services: Puppies,Adult Dogs,Stud Service At this time we have two almost one year olds, one male and one female and a 5 year old female who are looking for their forever homes. If interested, contact us at .All health clearances. Family raised in home with developmental exercise program. Bred for health and temperament. Puppies available. Go to website for more information on him. Website: www. Millie had her first litter on April 12th. All 8 puppies have been placed in good homes for the June 7, litter from Lucy and Pius. Next litter could be in .Invest in your Dog, not your VET. Parents are screened to assure you quality lines. We give a 30 month guarantee Gorenz Family Farm. House-trained, Story Charlie is a handsome 4 month old male retriever mix who weighs about 32 pounds. His butt wiggles so much with happiness that he whacks himself in the face with his tail out of happiness! He loves to play with toys, chew on bones and will find a nice quiet cool surface to lay on and nap. Take a look at the heart on his forehead! He is crate trained and potty trained. Charlie's adoption fee will contribute to our program of readying additional dogs, puppies and kittens which we prepare, transport and adopt out in the Midwest. Our goal is to get as many homeless animals out of south Texas, where we have a severe pet overpopulation crisis. We take payments through Zelle, Venmo, or CashApp, or we can take card numbers over the phone and process them through Square. All of these methods provide a receipt. Thank you for supporting our efforts to bring Texas dogs north to loving homes! We cannot guarantee breed or age. We assign breed and age designations based on veterinary advice and information from the prior owner.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Commit to training your German Shepherd daily. Be prepared to train your German Shepherd for at least 10 to 15 minutes a day. You should practice basic obedience training, but also include fun training games to keep them interested in their training and engaged with you. Aim for five three-minute sessions daily in the beginning, as a minimum. But start with no more than a few minutes in a short session and gradually build onto each individual session longer times. During each session work on just one or two commands so that your dog learns the right way to perform the command. Ready to start using games during your German Shepherd training? How long it takes to train a German Shepherd depends on many factors, for example, if you have a puppy or adult. It takes anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks to train a German Shepherd to learn basic obedience commands. Crate training will take about a week to introduce slowly and have your dog or puppy go into the crate on their own to relax. But if your dog has had a bad experience with the crate it could take months. Keep in mind that if you have an adult Shepherd who has already lived with another owner or many dog owners then you may have to undo improper training or behavior problems. This means that you have many months ahead of you of training. Some GSDs are aggressive or reactive and it may take years before they learn to relax around other dogs in a calm manner. While other German Shepherds have excellent dog social experiences from the start and can mix in with other dogs on a whim and quickly pick up their training basics. German Shepherd puppies are ready for simple training as young as 7 weeks old. Your puppy is capable and ready to learn at 6 to 7 weeks old many simple obedience commands. A 1 minutes session is long enough for a young puppy. After a couple of weeks, your German Shepherd puppy should know to sit, stay, and down, as well as its name. Although a reliable off-leash come recall usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks of proper dog training. It took me only about a day to train my German Shepherd to sit using lure and reward training. This means, I use one of the best, tasty treats to move her into the position I want, and then reward her with the food. My GSD took about 7 days to sit and wait at doors before barging out, but… She only takes a day to unlearn this behavior if I relax on it and let her out without waiting! Something complicated like staying in place with tons of distractions think cats or squirrels running by might take you at least 6 months to work up to. Keep in mind that German Shepherd training requires you to work in very small steps and build upon their success. You started with basic math, then geometry, algebra, and so on. German Shepherd Training: The Right Way How long it takes to train a German Shepherd depends on how consistent you are and how well you support your dog to understand. You must also consider your GSDs: age — are they an energetic puppy or more confident adult previous training — are they fresh to obedience or do they have some basics under their belt whether you are using the right training methods that are simple for your dog to understand The most effective and easy-to-understand system for German Shepherds to learn is called positive reward training. Using positive rewards allows you to mark the specific behaviors your German Shepherd performs right at nearly the exact moment they do them. Use a scientifically-based program to learn positive, reward-based training, like this Brain Training for Dogs official program. The Brain Training Program gives you step-by-step dog training to help you speed up your success rate and the time it takes you to train your GSD. Have you seen the price of in-person German Shepherd training these days? Harsh punishments and the wrong types of corrections can cause your dog to become fearful of you. Stick with positive dog training, or reward-based training, for a better bond with your special breed. Remember, any lack of training on your part is still considered training! You are the dog trainer and must learn the right ways to train a German Shepherd. Remember… Your dog is a brilliant breed, but you must give them the time and attention they need in order to see the most success. Vary up your training environments When you start your training sessions at home, you probably use a quiet room, turn off the TV, and maybe even close the door to your practice area so that you can pay attention to your training. Then, train your German Shepherd to become slowly used to following your command in those places. Train consistently Training skills will go quickly downhill without regular practice. Skills you once thought your dog knew can be unlearned without consistent repetition. If time goes by and you or your family let the training routine slip, an enthusiastic German Shepherd who likes to jump to greet visitors will resort back to their natural instincts to jump on people. Set aside time each day for specific command training, but also remember that every interaction with your German Shepherd is a training opportunity! Look for training opportunities during your day to get the most training benefits. Use high-quality rewards for high-quality learning Find out what treats really motivate your dog. Some German Shepherds will work for lower quality rewards, like their regular kibble, while others may need more motivation. Ian Dunbar, a renowned dog behaviorist, says that freeze-dried liver treats are the Ferrari of high-quality food rewards. But you can also choose other healthy treats for a German Shepherd if your dog prefers a different flavor. This will only set you back in your own German Shepherd training! Instead, build up in small steps by starting in a distraction-free area with your basic German Shepherd training commands. Even in the most desirable situations, your dog may struggle with particular commands. When you see your German Shepherd forget a command, go back to square one — the beginning of the command — and work on the training… again. Try using your phone to record you training your dog. Online training is easy and simple to follow, and the step-by-step directions guide you through the correct ways to train your German Shepherd with the best results. I use the Brain Training for Dogs program for the step-by-step online training from the comfort of home that has a done-for-you schedule. Instead, set up a daily training schedule to help you train them quickly. You can speed up training by using the right methods to train a German Shepherd… Which is positive, reward-based training. If you get tired of training, take a short break with these fun ways to make a German Shepherd happy. She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Imagine you knew how to discipline a German Shepherd puppy the right way so that your bond with your dog grew instead of fell short! Learn how to communicate with your pup and get the behaviors you want using these simple and easy methods for training a German Shepherd puppy. They may become frightened of you or fear your presence, depending on how severe your discipline is. Anxiety may even develop with too much punishment or useless corrections. Training a German Shepherd puppy at 8 to 12 weeks old? Yes, you can! A GSD pup of 8 to 12 weeks of age or older still needs positive reinforcement for the best behavior changes. Disciplining your GSD should not involve hitting, kicking, slapping, intimidation, or yelling. Do you want your German Shepherd puppy to stop their unwanted, bad behavior and turn into the sweet angel you want them to be? You can easily learn how to train a German Shepherd puppy if you work smarter… Not harder! Start early and remain consistent with your expectations. Training a German Shepherd means knowing what to do when your puppy acts up. Shepherd pups are one of the smartest dogs on the plant and learn quickly what you expect of them. But the best way to learn how to train a German Shepherd puppy at home is to work on your own behavior first. You should show them what behavior is unacceptable in your house. This means that you must stay consistent when responding to their behavior. For example: If your pup jumps on you and you redirect their attention to a toy to chew on instead. But, then your pup jumps on your friend and your friend lets them and you say nothing. This makes it likely that your dog will jump on whoever they feel like in the future. Use reward-based training. Use reward-based German Shepherd training techniques to get the quickest results. Reward-based training helps your puppy recognize when something is a bad choice source. When your pup performs what you ask, offer a tasty treat and words of praise. For example: Have your pup sit when you are by the front door getting ready to go for a walk. This teaches them that when they behave, they are more likely to get what they want. The best way to train your German Shepherd is by following a fun, engaging program that teaches not only the basics but covers problem behaviors, too. Sound difficult? It teaches you how to get your pup to learn positive behaviors. You can also have fun right at home with these games for German Shepherd puppies. Offer your puppy another option when they begin jumping on you for attention. Think about what your puppy is trying to get when engaging in jumping and bad behavior to determine when to ignore them. When your pup jumps on you when you come home, they probably want your attention. Withholding your attention when they are acting out shows them they need to act differently to get your approval source. Instead, offer them pets and praise when they have all 4 paws on the floor. You can also place them behind a puppy gate until they learn not to jump in order to avoid them scratching or nipping house guests when they arrive. After you teach them their basic obedience, ask them for a competing behavior like a sit or down when they begin to jump. Always remember to reward the behavior you want to see again! Ultimately, your puppy learns that good behavior earns your affection and attention more quickly. Your dog soon understands that they get nothing from you when they act badly. Here are some great commands for a German Shepherd that you can work on training. Redirect bad German Shepherd puppy behavior. Does your puppy jump, nip, chew, bite, or dig and you want to know the right discipline? The noise and disapproving tone distract your dog from bad behavior source. Showing them a favorite toy. Offering them another option you would like that is more constructive. You want to remember to watch out for: If your dog chews inappropriately on a pair of expensive shoes, get their attention by making noises or calling them to you and immediately offer the correct approved chew item. If you know your dog tends to bite you during play, have a toy nearby you can show them that you want them to bite instead of your arms. If you know they get wild and crazy in the evenings, have a list of these easy German Shepherd brain games to distract them and funnel their energy. Use time-outs appropriately when training a German Shepherd puppy. When your dog engages in bad behavior, remove them from what is causing the unwanted behavior. Put them in a different environment that is more calming and quiet instead. Respond immediately to the bad behavior and use the same routine every time to maintain correct discipline. Time out should: Not be done with force or yelling. Not be in a closet or other dark, scary area. Work to calm your puppy down, not frighten or stress them. Give your puppy a break from over-excitement. Not be a long punishment. Timeouts are generally recommended for only 1 to 2 minutes for puppies. Also, remember that closed doors can cause anxiety in dogs, so use a reliable pet-safe baby gate so that your puppy knows that you are still nearby. Remember, when training a German Shepherd puppy: Time out should not last over minutes. Watch for when your puppy is calm and quiet for a very brief period seconds long of calm. Then let them out quietly, without scolding them. This can cause anxiety. Remember to use a pet gate to separate them from the excitement that caused the unwanted behavior, while still allowing them to see you and not feel trapped. Ignore the unnecessary barking. German Shepherd puppies bark, but there are positive ways to help train them to bark and whine less. When they finally quiet down, even if only for a few seconds, reward them with a treat or praise. To have success, wait until they are quiet and stop barking, even if only for a few seconds in the beginning source. For example: If your puppy barks at joggers out the window every morning pull the blinds or curtains. If the behavior continues, place your dog in another room for a couple of minutes and repeat the previous time-out procedure every time they bark at the joggers remember to use the pet safe baby gate and to not shut a puppy behind a solid door because it can give them anxiety. If they are whining and crying at night, this could be a warning they need to potty. Make sure you read this post to know how to potty train a German Shepherd before you ignore all whining, barking, and crying. If your puppy barks during play they might be too excited and you can offer them a chew toy instead or cut your playtime short to allow them to calm down. Puppies bark for a number of reasons. But it does get easier to train your GSD over time as they learn what you expect. Keeping your pup from nipping and chewing. Puppies have sharp teeth, especially German Shepherd puppies! Puppies are energetic and must learn their limits for playing too rough source. Puppies view you jerking your hand back quickly as part of a game and could also tear your skin. And physical punishment should never be given! Show them what they can chew, instead, such as their favorite chew toy. Have plenty of safe chew toys to grab nearby to give your pup when they get wild and decide to bite you. Always use toys that your puppy can chew and bite to play with — pick from this list of German Shepherd Chew Toys to Prevent Boredom so you have a safe puppy toy that can take their bites. When they stop biting or nipping reward them with verbal praise and pets. Return later to try playing with your pup again and repeat the procedure. Read this information for more helpful tips to stop your German Shepherd puppy from aggressively biting and nipping you. Catch your dog being good and reward them out of the blue. See your puppy acting the way you want? Reward them out of the blue! Keep small bits of treats in jars around the house out of reach of your pup or in your pocket or a treat bag on your waist and use any opportunity your catch your pup doing good to reward them. If they sit and wait at the door, instead of dashing out ahead of you, reward them! Aim for one of these healthy treats that are the best for German Shepherds and pick carefully to ensure your dog stays athletic and fit. Food-based rewards are very motivating when training and disciplining a puppy. Avoid physical punishment and harm. Your German Shepherd is your companion for life. Research shows that physically punishing your dog for example hitting, kicking, growling, or staring them down increases aggression in your dog study source. Never use physical punishment to correct undesirable behavior. Not only can this punishment injure your puppy, but it also ruins your relationship and causes anxiety. It means setting expectations that they understand and staying consistent. Physically hurting your German shepherd will ruin your relationship with them. They will lose their trust in you and begin to avoid you. In the worst case, your dog could develop anxiety disorders, health issues, or even more problem behaviors. You could even accidentally injure your dog and they need vet care! Use the right tone and body language to communicate. Different commands and body language conveys information for training to your German Shepherd. The different tones of your voice and body movements are better understood by your dog. The actual command words are of less importance to your puppy. Use a direct tone and body language that matches what you want to say to your dog. Even pointing to a missed treat on the ground is body language your dog learns to understand. Still not convinced? Try out your training with this extensive list of helpful German Shepherd commands and watch how much your dog is capable of understanding. Shepherd pups want to please and have order in their home. To do this, stick with your training. Begin with a plan in place and disciplining your GSD will go smoother from the start. Persevere with your training and discipline. Remember that your German Shepherd is highly intelligent and needs your help to get the best from them. If you feel like giving up, take a break from training for a day or two. In order to avoid training frustration, remember that just like you a German Shepherd needs time to learn the rules of the house and new commands. This is true especially of puppies or rescue dogs. If you want to take a break from training and have fun, then include a few days a week of puzzles. German Shepherds are one of the smartest dogs in the world, so training them generally takes a short time. Never discipline a German Shepherd puppy for having accidents during potty training. Whether your German Shepherd is potty trained or not, never push their faces into their potty accidents. Your dog is counting on your leadership to show them the rules in a positive manner. Work on setting a consistent schedule with feeding and walks to avoid potty accidents indoors. German Shepherds are easy to train given the right attention. And they need to understand their schedule by having you teach them using consistent patterns, rather than receiving punishment or discipline. Keep a potty schedule posted nearby so all your family can see it and help prevent your puppy from having an accident. Use your bond with your puppy to your advantage during recall training. Use your positive bond with your German Shepherd puppy to work on early recall training. Especially when there are so many natural pleasures to see and explore outside. When you call your German Shepherd, its obedience simply depends on whether the motivation to obey your commands outweighs what your dog is focused on at the moment. Use this to your advantage! Tips for great German Shepherd puppy recall training: Begin calling your puppy in as many locations inside as you can. Give them a tasty reward or play a game with their favorite toy when they come. Work your way up to a perfect recall by having others try to distract your puppy while indoors. Next, move to your back or front yard with your dog on a long leash like this so they stay safe nearby and do the same. You can disciple them by showing them your tasty treat and walking backward a few steps to encourage them to move toward you. Train the come command in all situations, including the home and outdoors, from the time your puppy is 6 to 8 weeks old to avoid discipline problems later on. Need to train your German Shepherd on their recall? Calm older dogs are good for this one. Most importantly for German Shepherd puppies, it will give you a chance to work with them around other people, and different dogs from a young age. Settle on a mat German Shepherds are incredibly curious, which can make it difficult for them to relax while out and about. Leash walking — no one wants a large breed of dog pulling them down the street, so be sure you teach loose lead walking and how about some heelwork too? Recall games — Play a game of tennis with your pooch! Calling them from person to person with treats on either side. Get started with grooming and brushing sensitive areas — In long-haired German Shepherds, this is typically the case with the face, legs, and ears, which become tangled the most and may hurt when brushed. Remember to brush carefully, do a little bit of brushing on a sensitive area while feeding them treats or letting them have a lickimat, and then brush an easier to brush area. For socialisation, start working on items that are vital to your lifestyle this week, such as if you have a horse and want your puppy to be comfortable with horses, or if you enjoy sailing, having them near water will be important to you. Getting your puppy exposed to new experiences early on can help them accept them much more easily. Socialization exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week — Go to the pub — you deserve it! Remember that settle training you did before, take your mat and get your German Shepherd puppy to settle on it with a nice stuffed kong. Alone training: increasing time alone is important for your puppy. It gives them essential coping skills. Recall — Practise this outside, using a lead, and lots of rewards. Lead walking — Take this outside. Make sure you keep a strong pace going, since German Shepherds enjoy walking quickly, and praise often to keep your puppy interested. Pretend Nail Clips — simply holding a claw, pretending to clip , and rewarding your puppy with a treat is enough. Following on walks — Bring special toys, like the Tug-E-Nuff Pocket tugger, with you on walks to ensure your German Shepherd puppy enjoys hanging out with you. Playing with them will make you irresistible! Week 7 — Training your German Shepherd puppy The 7-week itch! Nah not really. I bet your German Shepherd puppy is doing wonderfully and growing rapidly! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — How about taking your German Shepherd to a city farm, letting them watch from afar and rewarding them for being such a calm puppy? Teach your German Shepherd puppy to stay — this will be a great one to show off at the park, trust us. So, first, take a walk with a dog that your German Shepherd puppy has already met. At first, it may be difficult for your puppy not to get distracted, so keep the rewards coming and try to keep them interested in you, rather than the other dog! Recall — off the lead Make sure you do this in a secure and confined area and bring plenty of smelly treats, a fun toy to play with, and your silly high-pitched voice so you can call your German Shepherd puppy back regularly. Remember, German Shepherds enjoy learning! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — maybe take your German Shepherd for a swimming lesson? Practice exercises in different locations — how about a train station, or in a shopping centre or mall? Teach a hand target — This is a favourite among pups and their owners. Hand Targeting or touching is the foundation for additional trick behaviours like leg weaving and closing doors. Introducing nose work to your puppy — We mean it when we say your German Shepherd puppy has a better nose than you! Play a game of hide and seek with their favourite toy to bring out those excellent search skills. Looking for more great puppy training tips? Check out our overview of when to start teaching your puppy anything , next. It will be fun they said. We go the extra mile for you. If you want a stress free puppy experience, get this downloaded! Worth every single penny! This app is very helpful. It helps you to understand and gives you a path to follow. The coaching support is excellent and super speedy. Download the app now. To train a German Shepherd puppy dog you must be consistent, kind and clear. German Shepherd dog puppies are divinely cute and for a reason! Just like babies are cute, puppies will win your heart even after destroying your favorite pair of shoes or that expensive carpet! Making sure you use them will start you on the right side of training and pave the road for you to get an obedient dog. The good news is that you do not need any special equipment to have an obedient GSD puppy. All you need is love and treats. The most important German Shepherd puppy training tip is socialization. Some vets will tell you to keep the pooch inside until the full set of vaccines is completed. Unfortunately, if you do keep your pooch safe inside until he is months of age, his socialization period will have closed forever and your chance to raise a friendly and confident dog drops significantly! That said, it is ultimately your decision whether you want to take the risk to take him outside or not. Most large US cities do not have too many disease problems and taking your puppy to a class where the trainer checks that every puppy has had the first set of shots is mostly safe. However, if you leave in a rural area, make sure there is not an outbreak of a disease that can affect your pooch. Of all the German Shepherd puppy training tips, I suggest you really think this one through. As a dog trainer, I recommend you find a safe puppy socialization class because this developmental period is critical to prevent behavior problems in the future. Apart from that, you also need to socialize your puppy daily on your own, this link will explain the process and give you a list of things to check as you go! Tip 2: Teach your German Shepherd puppy to use his mouth properly. You may have noticed that your German Shepherd puppy likes to chew on your shoes, toys, boxes, carpets, pillows, your hands…well, pretty much everything! Before you loose your mind and all your precious possessions let me tell you that this is normal puppy behavior. At this age dogs explore everything with their mouths and even though annoying, it is a great time to teach your pet what is appropriate for his mouth as well as how to soften the bite. The reason German Shepherd dog puppies have sharp teeth is because they are capable of learning how much or how little pressure to apply when biting different things. This is good news! To train a German Shepherd puppy to do this follow this link! Tip 3: Potty train your German Shepherd puppy the right way. Right around now you are also probably dealing with potty training, the best German Shepherd puppy training tips for potty training are outlined below. You should know how many times, and when to take you puppy out. I am sure you have heard all sorts of things against the use of food for training. To do this, you need to find the things that your dog likes most and use them as rewards. Food will be one of them, so use it. But also use anything else, like walks, petting, play time, toys, etc. So, of all the German shepherd puppy training tips here, I don't want to hear any excuses for this one! Done the right way, your pooch will respond to your command even when empty handed. Hope my website is helping you better understand and train your dog. Do you want to help? Be a modern philanthropist through Patreon. This is a hard concept to understand for us, clever human beings. When we learn something new, we can very easily generalize the concept to any situation, that is what makes us creative creatures. Fortunately, you have a German Shepherd puppy, they are clever and chances are they will need less repetitions than the average breed. To help you out on this matter, this link will take you to a step-by-step guide to train a reliable command. Tip 6: Train your German Shepherd puppy to ask for permission. Dog commands and fun and useful and you can probably find hundreds to teach your GSD. This one though - Ask for permission - is technically not a command, because you will not ask your canine to do it every time, instead you want to teach him to do it on his own every time the occasion requires it. Take time to do this with your puppy, it will be worth it! This is another one of the most important German Shepherd puppy training tips because a dog that asks for permission is an obedient and safe dog. To prevent a dog from jumping on people it is imperative to teach that same dog not to jump when he is a puppy. If he jumps again, then ignore again. When I say ignore, I mean it! No eye contact, no pushing or kneeing…nothing. Keep turning around if you have to. Pulling on the leash is another of those dog behaviors that people think come out of the blue, but actually they happen because there was never formal training done. To prevent pulling on the leash all you have to do is make sure your puppy understands that he gets rewarded food, petting, attention, verbal praise, keep on walking, etc. Pay close attention to what he does during those first few walks together and make sure you reward him for staying close to you! Got any German Shepherd puppy training tips to share with us? Tell us about them here! Those ideas came from research done in wolfs in captivity and have now been debunked by new research done in wolfs in the wild. The new research says that you need to be a good leader, kind of like a parent. Alphas are most often the parents of the group. Provide shelter, food, safety and limits. This article tells you more about it! Tip The best German Shepherd puppy training tip is… Reward good behavior and ignore bad behavior. This rule is amazing and will work wonders, besides it is really easy to apply, all you have to do is pay attention to your German Shepherd puppy and reward the good things he does. You need to figure out what the reward is and remove it. For example, when a dog is laying down, it is harder to bark. This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields labelled below in red have been filled in What is your DOG's name? Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in. How to train your German Shepherd Dog — 5 key steps Niki Dog health and wellness Puppy training December 29, The OneMind Dogs method is built on the idea that close bonds start with owners understanding their dogs. Building a magical connection with your German Shepherd takes empathy, patience, and a keen eye for the non-verbal cues dogs communicate with. Naturally, this applies to training all dogs, especially those highly intelligent breeds that need plenty of stimulation. Two German Shepherds can be equally fast learners but have different learning styles. One may prefer to think through a task while the other prefers jumping in head first. Setting the dog up for success in training So, what does it mean to set up for success? When you train matters as much as how you train. Choose a time of day when your dog is likely to be motivated, focused, and eager. A motivated puppy will pay more attention and have an easier time following cues. Training just before mealtime is great because then mealtime becomes a reward. Rewards also encourage dogs to focus and listen. Try lots of different toys — hard, soft, noisy, bouncy, crinkly etc. Make the family part of the fun and DIY safe puppy toys at home! If rewards are how you finish strong, routine is what gives you momentum going into training. When sessions start at the same time every day, dogs know what to expect, and when. Likewise, late afternoon sessions can help energetic puppies wind down for the evening and sleep soundly. Knowing what they value tells us what motivates them. We can use this to communicate things more intuitively. This also applies when trying to teach your dog new commands. This means we need to help them connect the verbal command to the act of putting their bum on the floor. Being flexible will keep you from getting frustrated and your puppy from feeling overwhelmed. How we respond has a huge impact on the success of any training session. We focus on positive reinforcement because it rewards a job well done, and uses healthy alternatives to replace bad manners. Plus dogs respond much better, learn faster and trust you more in the long run! Teaching your German Shepherd to chill out alone Boundaries are the key to a happy home for every family, and the same is true when bringing a new pet into yours. Spacial boundaries range from having a safe nook where they chill out to staying calm when visitors come over. Giving your dog a safe space to chill alone will help them get used to their own company. Running an obstacle course and other physical exercises teaches dogs to use their bodies, improves balance, and supports their growth. Mental stimulation, on the other hand, improves their focus, regulates emotions, and strengthens the magical bond they share with you. Training that engages their minds as much as their bodies will lead to better results. It helps your dog stay on task, even in a disruptive environment. Using their brains to solve problems builds confidence by engaging all the tools they need in everyday life. Success here is about pairing fitness and focus. OneMind Dogs Foundation for Agility has some great tips to keep daily walks fun , exciting, and mentally stimulating. You can even hide the DIY puppy toys as part of a game to get their noses working.

Prices: For information on the prices of our puppies, please visit our Purchase a Puppy page by clicking on the "purchase a puppy page" icon. You may also use the bars cell phone or page names website at the top to go to our other pages on our website. Red Collar available for adoption. Blue collar Male available for adoption. Our puppies' new homes. We will update this map soon! These are our foundation dogs - Mady, Dayna, and Kaiser Check out this great video of our foundation dogs. About Us! We love our German Shepherds! They aren't just our pets, they are an important part of our family. Our dogs have calm temperaments, intelligence, loyalty, are healthy, and loving. Schutzhaus pronounced "Shoots-House" German Shepherds is a small breeding facility striving to maintain the old-fashioned lines of the German Shepherds. We are located in Southwest Missouri where we live on a small farm. Old-fashioned German Shepherds are taller, have straight backs, large bone structure, a longer life span, big heads, and generally are larger in weight than the German Shepherds of today's standards. Our dogs are tested! Since we are dedicated to a healthy legacy for our puppies, we test our dogs on various health tests seeking to produce the healthiest puppies. Please see our current litters page. We are taking deposits on our future litters! Please see our upcoming litters page. Our babies are adopted quickly, so reach out to reserve your furever friend or to ask any questions. Schutzhaus German Shepherds. Menards Legendary German Shepherds specializes in breeding large old fashioned healthy German Shepherd dogs. So as you can see I am starting off with some great bloodlines. A little about me I grew up raising German Shepherds and Shelties. It has been about 25 years since I have raised dogs I stopped raising them when I got out of high school. I then got married and had children therefore the raising of dogs got put on the backburner. I am now at a point where I can start raising German shepherds again. I grew up with German Shepherds and they were my best friend and also my protector. These dogs are great with kids. I currently have 4 children ranging from 19 down to .My dogs are exceptionally smart, loyal, loving and protective when needed. These dogs are big boned, straight backed and are above standard size for the AKC. They are great family pets and protectors. The puppies are worked with from birth until they go to their new homes. You get a chew toy, martingale collar and puppy food and I will always be there for you down the road if you have any questions or concerns. Sidebar Customer testimonials about my dogs and business. The collection this block was previously pointing to has been removed. Please select another. My name is Mitzi Michelle Brooks. I have had dogs all my life and German Shepherds most of that time. I have tried different breeds, but always come back to what I know and love. The German Shepherd Dog is the right fit for me. I breed large, old-fashioned, straight-backed, German Shepherds with a special focus on health and temperament. I am a very small breeder, all my dogs live with me, in the house. They are first, and foremost, my beloved pets. In my litters, I concentrate on the things that matter most to me: Health and Temperament. My dogs are all larger than the breed standard but with no compromise to their health. All my dogs are medium to low energy, making them easy to train and ideally suited for families. I do not breed: dogs that are hyper, dogs that show any signs of aggression, working dogs, high drive dogs, or dogs with excessive angulation. Puppies are born and raised in my home! That means your puppy goes home with you already socialized with other dogs, with cats, and familiar with all the sights and sounds of a normal home. All puppies are also current on vaccinations and on a set deworming schedule. The puppies bred here are sold as companions and pets. Just as working dogs are bred to work, my puppies are bred to live in and be a part of a family. With their low to low-medium drive, my pups are very easy for their new parents to train and still possess that famous German Shepherd instinct to protect their home and their family. These soft temperaments mean that my dogs are happy to go out and play, but just as happy to come in, lay at your feet, and interact with their family. She has been shown as a puppy in a national show and was placed in 4th place out of 25 dogs. She has a beautiful female head with dark eyes and nice thick structure. Her movement is exceptional in the ring. Dannon is fully trained to sit, stay, down, heal on and off lead. She is also house broken. You will have a session with his trainer to learn her commands and the trainer will be available for any help or assistance in the transition from our home to yours. Dannon is very well socialized and is excellent with dogs, cats and children. She has been given all her shots, microchipped, AKC registered, 4 generation pedigree and comes with a two year written guarantee. He is a large beautiful deep black and red male with a very large massive head. His hips and elbows are both excellent. Very good expression, very good pigmentation, good character, strong head, dark eye. High, long withers, straight, firm back, good length and situation of the croup. Front well, the back very well bent, balanced chest proportions, straight front. Front straight-, rear slightly hackeneng kicking it indicates very powerful, expansive courses at excellent majesty. Safe nature, TSB pronounced. Type full overall appearance. Perform Medium bitches. She is a medium build female beautiful black and red, nice croup, beautiful fast moving pace. Good agulation of the rear, excellent temperament, very well socialized, great attitude and excellent bitework. In Germany she was placed 2nd in a regional show with high compliments from the judge of movement and structure. She produces ultimate gorgeous puppies. V Fibi puppies out of VA Karlo and V Canon have produced extremely nice puppies who have placed in the top 5 in both litters. German Shepherd Puppies are lovingly home raised and socialized at our modern 5 acre park like Kennel Facility in Florida Jacksonville. These are just a few words that describe our German shepherds. Life with a German Shepherd is a joy that one must experience to appreciate and understand, and the intelligence of these great dogs must be seen to be believed. Lucie Our dogs have provided countless individuals and families with a loyal pet that has a high aptitude, as well as the ability to provide protection. Each of the German shepherd puppies we have for sale are AKC registered and come from a superior lineage. Notably, our German Shepherds go through rigorous testing to qualify for breeding, as our dogs are bred with top sires that have at least a V or VA show rating. German Shepherds are well known for their character and temperament. Poised and confident, our pups are faithful and intelligent companions. They are also great protection dogs, as many safeguard homes, property or livestock. Our breeding program has earned the the highest level of accomplishments that a kennel in the United States can achieve. All of our German Shepherds come with a written guarantee and have been vet-checked, socialized, vaccinated to date, temperament-tested by a professional dog trainer, and above all, have been very much loved. Our German Shepherds are gorgeous Black and Red color, big boned, and correct structure. This price is determined by the size of the puppy, and includes the flight ticket, pre-flight vet exam, a crate the perfect size for your puppy, and travel to the airport. Every year we hand select dogs to add to our breeding program to improve the breed. Breeding top producing west German Sieger show Line German Shepherds is number one in producing quality German Shepherd puppies for sale. Being a German Shepherd dog breeder requires breeding high quality German Shepherds from some of the top rated German Shepherds in Germany They are superior in health with parents being x-rayed with clear hips and elbows by the OFA or the SV. These German shepherd litters of puppies for sale will make great companion dogs as well as excellent conformation, show and working dogs. Their inclination towards making their masters happy, their mental soundness and their high degree of intelligence have made this dog a successful working dog and masterpiece companion for their owners. Our breeding male shepherds are from top pedigrees. You can also visit us on our Facebook page to see recent news. Visit our website, at any moment you may feel you need more information than what we supply here feel free to Contact Us. Our main goal is to produce dogs that will become very special to you. Contact Us with any questions you have about our puppies or anything else. Tags in Port St. Lucie German Shepherd in Port St. Lucie German Shepherd studs in Port St. Lucie German Shepherd dog trainer in Port St. Lucie Site Links. German Shepherd Puppies are lovingly home raised and socialized at our modern 5 acre park like Kennel Facility in Florida Jacksonville. These are just a few words that describe our German shepherds. Life with a German Shepherd is a joy that one must experience to appreciate and understand, and the intelligence of these great dogs must be seen to be believed. AKC Registered Puppies In Punta Gorda Our dogs have provided countless individuals and families with a loyal pet that has a high aptitude, as well as the ability to provide protection. Each of the German shepherd puppies we have for sale are AKC registered and come from a superior lineage. Notably, our German Shepherds go through rigorous testing to qualify for breeding, as our dogs are bred with top sires that have at least a V or VA show rating. German Shepherds are well known for their character and temperament. Poised and confident, our pups are faithful and intelligent companions. They are also great protection dogs, as many safeguard homes, property or livestock. Our breeding program has earned the the highest level of accomplishments that a kennel in the United States can achieve. All of our German Shepherds come with a written guarantee and have been vet-checked, socialized, vaccinated to date, temperament-tested by a professional dog trainer, and above all, have been very much loved. Our German Shepherds are gorgeous Black and Red color, big boned, and correct structure. This price is determined by the size of the puppy, and includes the flight ticket, pre-flight vet exam, a crate the perfect size for your puppy, and travel to the airport. Every year we hand select dogs to add to our breeding program to improve the breed. Breeding top producing west German Sieger show Line German Shepherds is number one in producing quality German Shepherd puppies for sale. Being a German Shepherd dog breeder requires breeding high quality German Shepherds from some of the top rated German Shepherds in Germany They are superior in health with parents being x-rayed with clear hips and elbows by the OFA or the SV. These German shepherd litters of puppies for sale will make great companion dogs as well as excellent conformation, show and working dogs. Their inclination towards making their masters happy, their mental soundness and their high degree of intelligence have made this dog a successful working dog and masterpiece companion for their owners. Our breeding male shepherds are from top pedigrees. You can also visit us on our Facebook page to see recent news. Visit our website, at any moment you may feel you need more information than what we supply here feel free to Contact Us. Our main goal is to produce dogs that will become very special to you. Contact Us with any questions you have about our puppies or anything else. They can perform many tasks and can provide all the love and companionship that you could ask for. As German shepherd breeders, we know this joy firsthand and have the pleasure of offering this same joy to you. They are genetically built to be healthy. This is not enough of course. The rest of the equation is the top notch care that we provide for our puppies so that they can grow to be healthy and strong. Their bloodlines make them predisposed to good health and our efforts just allow them to live up to their potential. Family Dogs Our German Shepherd puppies are born and bred to be family dogs. They are good around children and are already accustomed to being around people because of their upbringing. Our puppies are around people from day one so they develop a comfort level and a trust of people that makes them open to new people and new environments. The move to your home will be a simple adjustment for them. All you have to do is show them the love that we show them and you will instantly have a new four legged member of the family. These puppies make excellent family companions because they are friendly and lovable while being highly intelligent and trainable. These obedient puppies grow into dogs that can perform a variety of tasks. Skilled Dogs Each German Shepherd puppy that we have is highly trainable. They are extremely obedient with the right training and their skills are not limited to basic canine obedience tricks. Our German Shepherd puppies have the potential to be great trackers or even search and rescue dogs. They were born to have a natural affinity for tasks such as these. They can also help with home security. While these German shepherds are quick to bond with friendly faces, they can tell the difference between a familiar face and a stranger. They can be trained to protect your home just as their natural instincts tell them to. Our German shepherd puppies are adorable and are in a robust state of health. They are family dogs who possess many skills to help you and your family. Come learn the joy of having your own German shepherd puppy today.

How long have you been involved with the breed? I was raised with a German Shepherd cross from babyhood. My first memories, about age 3, involve being fascinated by every German Shepherd I saw and loving their nobility and beauty. My parents did not believing in buying purebred dogs but rather visited the Animal Shelter when each old dog died to pick a replacement. I got my first purebred, a sable male, the fall I went off to work my way through college. I tried to breed my Harrigan daughter, Noche, in , but she wanted no part of the whole thing, thinking she was human, so I spayed her and showed her to a UDT, which was the highest training title possible at that time. It was before I had my first litter. Do you work or show your dogs? What titles do your dogs have? All my dogs are trained and compete in nose work, a competition that is based on the training given narcotics dogs. Instead of drugs, dogs search for essential oils, beginning with birch, then anise and cloves. They do interior, exterior, vehicle and container searches, earning titles for successfully passing increasingly difficult scenarios. Once the agility trials moved to a location 3. Now we have 2 trials here a year, so I have four dogs in serious training. Lovely also has her Canine Good Citizen Advanced title. Lovely, just certified with ATD this spring, will resume visits after her litter and begin earning her titles. During the school year we also participate weekly in the Reading Dogs program at Tongue River Elementary School in Ranchester about 15 miles from Sheridan and will resume when school starts in August. Another new activity in the school year was doing stress relief visits at the local college during finals week; Lovely and Lively participated in that. Why did you breed these two dogs? I approve each dog as a breeding prospect if it has a marvelous temperament, sound structure, steady nerves and joy of life. Each litter has its own webpage with all kinds of background information, including why I bred those two parents. I do PennHip evaluation for my preliminary hip check at approximately a year of age see www. In PennHip they first take the standard view the only one OFA uses , then they place the anesthetized dog with his hips in some kind of a fulcrum brace that allows them to pull the hip and put pressure on it in a certain way that reveals joint laxity. The x-rays go to the creator of the method and he does a bunch of measurements. If a hip rates less than. If it measures. They rate both hips separately, then give a percentile rating. The higher the percentile the better the hips. I do OFA hip and elbow x-rays at 2, which is when you get your official rating. Do you breed to AKC or breed club standards? I breed to the AKC-approved standard for the German Shepherd Dog, which is still very close to the international standard. I continue to breed for the medium-sized, athletic, balanced and healthy dogs that are described in the breed standard. How many litters do your dogs have each year? I seldom breed a female oftener than once a year. If I do, she gets over a year off before being bred again. I generally have two to three litters a year. The 9 weeks of pregnancy and 7 weeks of puppies are a very intense time for both my bitch and me. Quality is much more important to me than quantity. See the background information for each litter. Can I see the parents, grandparents and other relatives in-person or in photographs. I especially urge people, if at all possible, to meet my dogs and see their outgoing, confident temperament. I do require that they have filled out my application available on the website so that I have approved them as possible puppy buyers, before they can come visit. I have photos and details about all my dogs and litters on my website. If I do not own the male, I will give them the name and address of the stud owners in case they are close enough to go see the father of the litter, too. I give details on the pedigree with each litter see the background page for that litter. Yes, mine have all recommended screenings. Copies of all certificates for both parents are included in the puppy folder. In fact, they have all screenings that can be done for hereditary conditions that are problems in the breed. I have done this for years and years and am one of the few GSD breeders in the country who has done so. I normally do PennHip evaluation for my preliminary hip check at approximately a year of age see www. I do OFA hips and elbows at 2, which is when you get your official rating. Do you offer a guarantee? Do you have first right of refusal? Yes, I offer a guarantee a copy of the contract is on the website. I want the pup back if for any reason it does not measure up. I will replace with another pup to our mutual satisfaction. I repeat, I want my pups to come back here if for any reason you cannot or will not keep them. I never ever want them given away or placed in an animal shelter. I encourage people to either put a clause in their wills that the dog be returned to me, or fold the contract inside the will. I received a call from a lawyer of an elderly couple who did just that. They died a few weeks apart, and when the lawyer opened the will, there was my contract stating I wanted the dog back. I brought him here, kept him until his grieving was done and he was ready to re-bond, and then found him another loving home. I mail puppy updates every three months. The updates tell you what is the normal development for that age, what behavior problems typically surface then and how to avoid or handle them. They also emphasize your responsibility and what you should be doing at that age to form the pup so that he or she grows up to be a good canine citizen, well-mannered and a pleasure to live with. The pups are microchipped before they leave here and I always want to be listed with the microchip registries as a contact person. These pups are guaranteed to OFA for hips. Of course, you have a responsibility to control the environment part of their hip formation—keep them lean, especially as pups, since extra weight puts extra strain on developing joints. The hip joint is cartilage until approximately 12 months of age. Cartilage is soft and thus will wear off easily under repeated impact to the joint, then when it turns to bone there is roughness there which sets up arthritic change and becomes dysplasia. And feed a high-quality food. These pups were started on a balanced raw food, Northwest Natural Beef Diet. Once they were eating well, I began using less raw and more dry food until by 6 weeks of age they were eating only the dry. I strongly recommend that you keep the pup on the Holistic Select food. You will eventually spend far more on vet bills than you saved on food. I use Royal Canin kibble as training treats, rather than buying expensive treats. The Royal Canin is a large size that works well for beginning tracking training, when you put food in each footstep. They also protect those developing bones and joints, especially in this fast-growing time. When Quasi arrived in July , he had a dry, harsh outer coat and no undercoat at all. On top of that, he was quite scratchy and shedding all the time. I tried adding a variety of oils to his diet, but with limited success. They sent a free two-month supply and at the end of the trial period I was seeing enough improvement that I signed up for their breeder program and put all my dogs on it. I like that the NuVet products are not heat processed, allowing the ingredients to be truly effective. NuVet Plus is a good addition. I have for years given a glucosimine supplement to my dogs once they reach 5 months of age, to protect their joints since they are so active and athletic. I was excited that I saw an improvement in Chaos, who has arthritis in his spine from being an absolute idiot as a young dog, constantly jumping fences because either he was bored or he was trying to get to a female in heat. He became more active and moved more smoothly. NuJoint is also cold-pressed. These products can only be obtained through breeders. If you decide to try them, go to my website, www. Use my order code .These supplements help insure a healthy immune system to ward off any exposure to disease NuVet Plus and help hips, elbows and other joints develop correctly NuJointDS. At 7 weeks they still feel they own the world and thus are bothered less by the stress of going alone to a new home. They also are ready to bond with their new owner very eagerly and thus can begin learning and socialization earlier. Socialization, before their shots are complete at 16 weeks and they are totally protected from diseases, must be done carefully. Therefore the pups have less likelihood of encountering dangerous viruses which can be carried on feet, or urine, or saliva, etc. When that happens, just one shot will give them protection. It takes about three weeks for a pup to develop protection from a vaccine. The pups should also be wormed each time they get a shot. All pups pick up worms from the mother, even if she always tests negative. As I understand, the worms encyst in her muscles, the pregnancy hormones activate them, and they pass through the umbilical cord to the babies. I worm the pups at about every days beginning in week 4. They also have a thorough vet exam when they get their first shot. When you get your pup, you should have your vet do a health exam within 48 hours. This is for your own protection. If they get sick within 48 hours of leaving here, they contracted something here and it is my responsibility. After that, all health issues are your responsibility, except for those I guarantee against. A Vet Record is included in your puppy folder. Take that to give to your vet at the 48 hour check. I have only heard of one other GSD breeder in the U. I send some with each puppy and strongly urge that the pup remain on Holistic Select for its lifetime, changing over to the adult formula after it has most of its growth finished, at about seven months of age. Do you have a contract? Yes, I have a written contract which we both sign, and of which we both receive a copy. It is also on my website. Can you provide references? He was my vet for 30 years and in April sold his clinic to two vets who had been with him, and who have been treating my animals since then. I have another letter of reference from them that is included in the puppy folder and can be emailed upon request. You are welcome to visit with my vets at Moxey Schreiber Vet Hospital. They have been my vets for over 40 years. I can also give you names and phone numbers of people who have my puppies, the people I train with, etc. Highly recognizable, these great dogs get noticed wherever they go. People are often drawn to their beauty, strength, and intelligence. Some of the most common questions are found below: 1. How big do German shepherds get? German shepherds are medium to large sized dogs. The American Kennel Club breed standard stipulates that, when full grown, male dogs have a height of 24 - 26 inches and weigh 65 — 90 pounds. Females have a height of 22 inches and weigh 50 — 70 pounds. There are many great German shepherd dogs that can be found larger than the breed standard. These dogs often weigh pounds or more. They may be AKC registered, pure bred dogs. Is it easy to train a German shepherd puppy? This is not an easy question for a couple reasons. The simple answer is, yes. German shepherd puppies are easy to train because they are very smart. However, because they are so smart, they require lots of time and attention. Training should start the day they are introduced to their new home. Some people are caught off guard about how energetic German shepherd puppies are. All problems should be addressed immediately while young. They respond well to consistent positive reinforcement, praise, and treats. At what age should I get a German shepherd puppy? German shepherd puppies should stay with their mother until at least 8 weeks. Some breeders will keep them for up to 12 weeks. In general, the AKC also recommends waiting until puppies are 8 — 12 weeks old before going to their new home. Dogs learn important social skills and go through developmental stages as puppies. You should be wary of any breeder willing to release the puppy before 8 weeks. Where can I buy a German shepherd? There are numerous German shepherds in rescues, shelters, and up for private adoption across the United States. If you want to adopt, you can start by checking with German shepherd rescues, shelters, and adoption events. Joining German shepherd social media groups may also be helpful in locating a great dog in need of a home. If you want to purchase from a breeder, start by doing your homework and talking to other German shepherd owners. Look for a breeder who health tests and is transparent with you. Always get breeder references. There are different lines of German shepherds. Some do better as working dogs while others are suited best as family pets. Reputable breeders will screen you and help you decide if one of their puppies is the right fit for you. How do I know if a German shepherd is right for me? German shepherds are powerful, active dogs that live 12 — 14 years. They require lots of exercise, training, and attention throughout their life. They are very loyal dogs that bond closely to their family. When left alone too much, they can develop serious behavior and anxiety problems. Are German shepherds expensive? German shepherds range in price depending on their breeding. However, that is just the beginning. Notoriously sensitive, they do best on high quality dog food, treats, and supplements. Because of their size, vet care, medications, as well as flea, tick, and heartworm control is more expensive. You should also consider where and how you will exercise them, if you will hire a trainer, groomer, dog sitter, daycare, dog walker, or buy health insurance. They go through their toys faster than most dogs. Do German shepherds have health problems? As with all dogs, German shepherds can suffer from health problems. Some health problems include allergies, hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, pannus, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, allergies, bloat, perianal fistula, osteoarthritis cruciate ligament disease, and megaesophagus. Are German shepherds vicious? No, German shepherds are not vicious. They make loyal family pets but must be trained and get plenty of exercise. As herding dogs, they are naturally protective and will defend their family. They can be leery of strangers, which is one reason socialization is mandatory. When raised right, they are loving family members that will vigilantly protect their home. Do German shepherds need lots of exercise? German shepherds are intelligent working dogs. They require an outlet for their physical and mental energy or they will develop behavior problems. The good news is, they can burn off their energy with training, playing, walks, hikes, jogs, runs, dog sports, and more. However, they need someone willing to burn off their energy each day without fail. Sadly, many dogs in shelters came from homes that were unable to provide this. What do I feed a German shepherd? There is a lot of debate over the best dog food. At minimum, they need a high quality, age specific food. Despite their strength, they tend to be on the sensitive side when it comes to food. A good dog food supplemented with small amounts of fresh eggs, vegetables, fruits, and raw yogurt can be beneficial. Do German shepherds shed? German shepherds shed all year long and twice a year, blow their coat. They require weekly brushing. Most owners manage with a good vacuum and brushing twice a week. We could fill a book with questions and information about German shepherds. The bottom line is, they are the most loving and loyal dogs for people who have the time for one. They need training, guidance, and lots of attention. They need exercise or they develop behavior problems. We hope you enjoyed this article. Please share with your family and friends. How long have you bred German Shepherds, and what others have you bred? Breeding is not an easy business. It takes years to get good at understanding breed-specific traits and diseases, matching the parents, training, and socializing the puppies. Were both parents tested for genetic diseases known to the German shepherd dog breed before mating? Ensure that the parents have indeed been tested and screened. Furthermore, insist on health certificates for both parents. No matter who the breeder is if they fail to show any proof, leave them right away. Can I meet the parent dogs? Be suspicious with breeders who have just a pair of dogs and keep breeding them over and over. Reputable breeders usually try to find the best mating partner for their dog from another breeder. When meeting the mother, you should observe how she behaves around you. What you want to see is a mother dog who is calm, well socialized and well mannered, gentle, and affectionate. Has the puppy been vaccinated? If so, how far along are they with inoculations? Dog vaccinations play a critical role in protecting a puppy from many highly contagious bacteria and viruses. A reputable breeder should start their puppies on core vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age. The vaccinations are then continuously given every two to three weeks, which at this point becomes your responsibility, continuing until your puppy is 14 to 16 weeks old. When asked, they should be able to provide you with a health record on the puppies to date, notably vaccinations and wormings. What are the good and bad points of the parents, and what titles do they have? Every breeder should be able to explain the good and the bad points of each of their dogs, for example, too short a tail or an imperfect gait. What Titles do The Parents Have? Even if all you want is just a pet-quality German shepherd and never intend to compete with your shepherd, the title is something that you should put a lot of weight to. This is because titles are a good sign that a breeder cares and makes a good-faith effort to maintain the quality of their breeding stock. Here is a list of some popular titles that suggest top-quality German shepherd dogs. Titles in showing conformation, such as Ch. Have you evaluated these puppies? A good breeder should have temperament tested every puppy before pairing each one with an ideal owner. They know which ones are shy, who is the boldest, and which ones are in-betweens. Where were these puppies raised? Puppies that have been exposed at an early age to our world will adapt easily when you bring them home. How have you socialized these puppies? As touched earlier, socialization is crucial if you want your puppy to grow up into a well-rounded, gentle-mannered German shepherd. If the puppy turns out not to be a good fit for me, would you take them back? Another hallmark of a reputable breeder is their readiness to take back an unwanted puppy they have bred and give you an ironclad contract stating either replacement with a new puppy or refunding of your money should the puppy develop a congenital ailment. When can I take my German shepherd puppy home? The reason is that they know their puppies still have a lot to learn from their mother and littermates. Puppies removed before seven weeks often miss important life lessons and thus are more prone to misbehavior and are difficult to deal with. You need to spend more time and effort than usual to socialize and train them. There are two ways that puppies are picked from a breeder: 1. The breeder picks the puppy for you based on what they know about you. Regardless of which method is used, all the questions that I post here still should be asked. Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful and useful as you raise and train your German Shepherd. Here are some of my favorite reviews for German Shepherd supplies that I personally use and recommend. Here is my recommendation for the best dog food for German Shepherds. Leash: A leash is a must-have for any German Shepherd owner. With a good leash, you can give your dog the freedom they need while keeping them safe and under control. Here are my top picks for the best leashes for German Shepherds. A harness that is improperly fitted or used can cause serious injury to your dog. Read my review of the best harnesses for German Shepherds here. Different bowls serve different purposes, and the bowl that you need will depend on a number of factors. See my recommendation for the best dog bowl for German Shepherds here. There are a ton of different factors to consider when choosing a crate. Beds: German Shepherds need a bed that is comfortable, supportive, and durable. This breed is known for being high energy, so you need a bed that can withstand a lot of wear and tear. House: It can be tough to find the best dog house for German Shepherds. Shampoo: You want to find a shampoo that is specifically designed for German Shepherds. This breed has a lot of furs, and you need a shampoo that will be gentle on their skin and coat. Shock Collar: A shock collar is a training tool that can be used on German Shepherds. It delivers an electric shock to the dog when they exhibit certain behaviors. While some people are against the use of shock collars, I believe that they can be helpful in certain situations. Read my review of the best shock collar for German Shepherds here. Vacuum: If you have a German Shepherd, you need a vacuum that is specifically designed to deal with all of the furs they shed. Shedding is a natural process for dogs, but it can be hard to keep up with. The right vacuum will make your life much easier. Related posts:. This request is typically accompanied by also wanting a list of questions to ask the German Shepherd breeder. Based on this feedback I wanted to give you the ultimate list of questions to ask, plus any warning signs that should make you walk away without buying. Not just warning sings about the German Shepherd puppy, but also her mother and the breeder too. Things to know before buying a German Shepherd puppy The moment you see that adorable German Shepherd puppy for the first time, the feeling will last with you forever. It certainly did with me when we first met our own dog. Just take a step back for a second. I wish we had, but luckily, our dog ended up being ok, but it could have been very different: German Shepherds and any puppies can have health problems be sold by unscrupulous breeders. With their long noses, furry bodies, and sparkling eyes, they will tug at your heart strings. You will be tempted to just take that German Shepherd puppy and go. But please, please, please… before you do that, here are some important things you should check before you pay your money. Your German Shepherd will become a huge part of your life, but make sure you know what to look for before you buy a puppy. Read these before you spend the money. By doing this due diligence you should hopefully get a puppy that not only fits your family and lifestyle, but also lives a long and happy life. You want to choose one that has a track record, online reviews, and a good reputation in the German Shepherd world… not some first timer nobody has heard of. Be suspicious of low prices: If the German Shepherd puppies are advertised as a lower than average price, be wary. The old adage about if it looks too good to be true is almost always the case with puppies. Low prices can be a sign of an unhealthy litter. Find out how many litters the mother has had already: German Shepherd mothers should not have anything more than one litter each year. The best scenario would be a litter every couple of years. More pregnancies than this mean she has been over-bred and both her and the puppies could have health problems. Look out for serious conditions and hereditary issues including hip and spine issues, soft palate issues, eye problems, and hearing problems. I would recommend getting a puppy from a German Shepherd older than this just to be sure. Before 8 weeks of age, they should still be with her, and it can also help you understand what type of dog your puppy will grow up to be. If the breeder refuses access to the mother, walk away. Ask where the puppies have been living: If the German Shepherds have been in a dark garage away from human interaction it will mean they will be harder to socialize and harder to train. Ask how often the German Shepherds have been handled: When puppies are regularly handled by humans, they will be much easier when taken home. Ask whether a vet has checked the puppies: Puppies should have been checked by a vet and had their first set of vaccinations before going to their new home. Ask to speak to a previous buyer:A reputable breeder will let you talk to people who have bought a German Shepherd puppy from them before. If they are unable to supply references and contacts, they could be hiding something. I hope you find these questions to ask a German Shepherd breeder helpful. Please do print them off before you visit the litter and decide to buy. The personality of the German Shepherd breeder This is so often over-looked, but I wanted to add it on as something to look for when buying a German Shepherd puppy. Only buy a German Shepherd puppy from a breeder who is prepared to take the time to answer any questions and concerns you might have. Breeders that treat buyers with respect will most likely extend that kindness to the German Shepherd mother and her puppies. This gives you an indication of what health problems could in store. Puppies can sometimes have the following conditions: Allergies. Remember, all puppies are cute and you can find people breeding them everywhere but choosing the right breeder can make a world of difference during the life of your pup going forward. For tips on choosing the right puppy click here. What bloodlines does the breeder work with? For example, German Shepherds have separate bloodlines a dog can originate from. Some lines have higher drive and others have lower drive. The person was looking for a family dog and found a breeder with a cool looking sable or bicolor not realizing that these are working line dogs with high drive. These dogs are not necessarily suitable for just any family home as they require firm corrections, have above average exercise requirements, and can have behavioral issues if not properly handled. Although the breeder should have disclosed this information many do not which sets the puppy and owner up for failure. On the flip side, a person looking to compete on a higher level may be looking for a higher drive dog and would be disappointed with the laid back temperaments that can come with the West German Show Lines. You can read more about bloodlines in German Shepherd Bloodlines Explained. Bloodlines and temperaments can be pretty intertwined. Although a well-bred dog will generally have a temperament consistent with its bloodlines, there can be variations. Ask the breeder about the temperament of the parent dogs. Do they have outgoing personalities or are they uncomfortable around strangers? Do they have any aggressive tendencies? Do they have high, medium or low energy levels drive? Keep in mind, a breeder who wants to sell you a pup will paint a lovely picture of how wonderful the parents are. The parents may bark when you walk in the door, but not aggressively with fur up or growling. Many breeders say this is because the parents are protective of their puppies, but by the time the pups are weeks old, the parents should not behave that way. Read more about Temperaments And Drive. Does the breeder do genetic testing? I highly recommend finding a breeder that does it. Even if they give you a written health guarantee, this is no replacement for genetic testing. How are the parents housed? There are 3 main ways breeders house their doggos: The first is in kennels. This is normally done by larger breeders who use their dogs to compete, but they can also be used in poor breeding practices where dogs never leave the kennel and live under poor conditions AKA puppy mill. You can easily tell the difference between a competition kennel and a puppy mill. A competition kennel will keep clean conditions, dogs will be well fed and will come out daily to train. Needless to say, the latter should be shut down and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The second is a private breeder who has a couple dogs that live in their home as family pets. Many breeders get their start by doing this, learn as they go and attempt to do better and better. Thankfully I pushed myself to learn more about better genetics and breeding practices over the years until I became the kind of breeder I could be proud to be. The third is a combination of the first and second types. This is a home that the doggo lives in for his or her life as a family dog, and then goes back to visit the breeder during breeding time. What form of communication do you want with your breeder? But if your pup has a health or training issues this type of breeder could leave you high and dry. In this scenario, the breeder feels they have a right to certain types of communication at various intervals and may even have it in their contract as a requirement. Normally, you can tell which breeders have this type of mentality because they have a list of guidelines before you get a pup. The third type would be my suggestion. Does your breeder have a contract? And trust me, things can happen even under the best breeding circumstances. The contract will protect you as much as it protects the breeder. Ask for the contract prior to picking up your pup so you have time to thoroughly read it before signing. At the very least, the breeder should sit down with you and walk you through the contract to be sure everyone is on the same page. What type of health guarantee does the breeder have? Some breeders have no guarantee at all. For those breeders that do give a health guarantee, what does it say? The most commonly found guarantee states that the breeder will take their pup back and give you a new one in the event of a genetic defect that will keep the dog from living a normal life. Will the breeder take the Pup back if needed? This is huge. What kind of training support Does The breeder offer? There are 3 main categories a breeder can fall under. They normally have a facility and offer training classes of some kind. Those classes will normally be an additional charge and are a great way to socialize a new pup. If you have questions later this breeder will be able to help answer them. The second is a breeder who does no training. The third is the breeder who may not train professionally but has a solid foundation in training and can help guide you in the right direction by giving tips, advice and trainer recommendations. Do they breed multiple breeds? Does the breeder give back? This one really kills me. I hear it from breeders all the time. There are many things a breeder can do to help if they choose to. They can raise donations or volunteer time for a local shelter. Take some time to think about these questions. Then ask them to potential breeders you're interviewing. Do their answers sit well with you? If not, keep looking. There are many breeders out there and your search for the right pup should mean finding a breeder that makes a commitment to you for the life of your dog. Email mdalman4 gmail. This is a big step and can be so rewarding. Finding the right dog for you and your family starts with proactively talking to a responsible German Shepherd breeder. How can you tell if a breeder is everything you need them to be and what signs point to competent breeding practices? There are many factors to consider when raising a new dog, and many pertinent questions to ask your breeder. It is very valuable to understand your breeder, your interested dog breed, and what makes up your puppy. There are many steps coming up on this journey and information can play a very key role. There are many great dog obedience classes San Antonio, and by knowing what questions should be on your mind, you can best navigate these crucial first few months and years. Important Questions For Your German Shepherd Breeder Knowing your breeder and building a relationship with open communication can be very important. To understand your dog you need to understand your breeder. Have The Parents Been Tested? German Shepherds are working dogs. Potential parents should pass all relevant testing to show trainability, temperament, and should also show testing hip and elbow fitness. Are The Parents Registered? What Is Their Pedigree? Registration is really just a proof of pedigree and bloodline history. You can learn a lot about new puppies from their pedigree. This can include, temperament, skill sets, attitude and disposition, and even health concerns. Can You Meet The Parents? This may not always be possible. This is often because breeders will often use a quality male that is owned by someone else and may not live near you. They can often still provide many details, pictures, accolades and descriptions of the male. Be wary of any breeder that is reluctant to introduce you to the parents. Parental lineage is important for many reasons. But perhaps the most relevant is understanding potential health concerns and medical predispositions. GSDs struggle with many genetic and hereditary health conditions and the breeding process is often focused on reducing the negatives and accentuating the positives. A good German Shepherd breeder should be able to provide you with a very clear medical history and a breakdown of risks and concerns. Contracts should protect both the breeder and the new owner. There are many health factors that could come into play, and some breeders offer warranties and guarantees as well as have contracts with specific stipulations. Be sure to carefully read and consider all contract details. By the time you make a purchase, your puppy should have had multiple rounds of deworming, vaccination, and checkups and health screenings. It is also important to ask about microchipping. Does The Breeder Provide References? You need to thoroughly vet your breeder. If you can watch training days or events this can give you a window into their process. Like any critical buying process, almost nothing competes with the value of word of mouth. Ask around and try to gather an objective and impartial image of your breeder. There are many other considerations to keep in mind when raising this incredible breed, but having a good breeder relationship and knowing the parents is an important start. Depending on their proximity, a German Shepherd breeder may have recommendations for dog obedience classes San Antonio as well. First, the good news; due to their many wonderful characteristics the German Shepherd Dog is a very popular choice for a family companion. Now, the bad news; the demand for puppies has caused a rise in indiscriminate breeding and proliferation of backyard breeders BYBs and puppy mills offering puppies from parents with questionable temperaments and health histories, raised in far less than adequate environments. As the past Corresponding Secretary for a regional specialty club and the past national Chairperson for the Breeder's Code of Ethics for the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, my phone would ring off the hook with new owners looking for help with temperament and health issues, asking questions and facing difficult decisions. The angels who work in breed rescue receive even more calls than I did. In almost every case, after reciting all the "bads" that were occurring, inevitably, the dog owner in trouble would say, "I should have known.There is a tremendous cost to the pet owner in these circumstances. The goal, when searching for a companion puppy is to find a healthy, happy baby raised in a clean, caring, hands-on environment with lots of attention paid to early socialization. If something doesn't "feel right", pay close attention to that feeling! Where to look for a reputable breeder? Try your State Federation of Dog Clubs, a regional specialty club, or a local all breed dog club's breeder referral service. The AKC has a list of events on its webpage. Go to dog shows, speak to breeders, ask questions. If there is nothing available at the time you are looking, which is likely, expand your search to neighboring states, or if you find a breeder you "click" with, ask if there is a waiting list for a future litter. Ask your vet for references, they certainly know who has healthy, happy, well cared for dogs! The AKC has a Breeder Classified section on their website as do many Internet search engines, but now you start the careful screening process. The AKC is only a registry and anyone can list a litter on the Internet. What questions to ask and what answers to listen for? Read on.The Breeder How did you find the breeder? What national and regional clubs and organizations is the breeder a member of and what activities do they enjoy with their dogs? Do they have multiple breeds of dogs? How are their dogs kept? How long has the breeder been breeding? How often do they have a litter more is not better! How are the litters raised, how much early one-on-one interaction is provided and what steps are taken to provide for early socialization? Many temperament problems that cause a dog to land in a shelter or rescue including sound sensitivity, separation anxiety, and lack of bite inhibition, can be traced to careless combinations of breeding partners and little or no early socialization of puppies. Problems with potty training can be traced to unsanitary living conditions. Show me a puppy who is hard to house train and I'll show you a puppy who was allowed to be dirty! Use common sense if you are invited to visit a breeder, but don't be surprised if that isn't welcomed or allowed more on that on the visitors' page. Are there too many dogs to reasonably expect that a puppy has received critical individual attention? Is the puppy used to being groomed, having its toenails clipped, its teeth examined and its ears cleaned or is everything a struggle? How clean are the surroundings? Finally, will the breeder be there for you after the purchase to answer your questions? Ideally, you want someone to pick up the phone or return a call when it's past midnight and your puppy ate a pack of chewing gum. It's wonderful to send birthday and holiday pictures to the person who loved your dog first and it's particularly comforting when waiting for a biopsy result from a suspicious bump on an old dog to have someone who will worry and pray right along with you. What should I expect from the breeder? Some contracts restrict breeding rights; AKC registration papers can be issued on a "limited registration" basis, which would prohibit any progeny from being registered with the AKC. That may be reasonable, the original breeder can always change registration status at the completion of health testing on a particular dog. Other contracts will provide that the breeder is to be listed on the registration as a co-owner. That may work between friends when discussing potential show dogs, but for companion puppies, simpler is always better. Obviously, you would want to know the particulars before committing to a litter. Don't be talked into making a "deal" for a lower priced puppy by promising the breeder now "your" new co-owner breeding rights. You might hear such arrangements referred to as "guardian homes". Would you be comfortable giving your bitch up for 10 weeks at a time to stay with your co-owner to whelp, wean and raise the puppies? A common saying among breeders is that "breeding isn't for the faint of heart". Though GSDs are usually an easy breed to whelp, things can occasionally go very wrong. The same goes for a potential "Mr. As the stud dog owner, the bitch comes to you and you have the added responsibility of getting her bred. That's how it works in dogs. Or, perhaps when it was time for his "date" the dog would go and live with the breeder, your co-owner, but then you'd be giving your dog up for weeks at a time. If the bitch comes to you, do you have the facilities and resources to keep a strange bitch safe for several weeks during her season? Are you sure? Really sure? Dogs can get out of almost anything when procreation is involved! And how on earth will you explain all of the noise to the neighbors? Dogs are.Remember too, if you make such an agreement, contractually, you can't spay or neuter your pet until whatever provisions you agree to are fulfilled. It's best not to make a "deal" for a lower priced puppy and promise "breeding rights". In the end, it never works out to be such a deal! Pine Hill does not participate in any "guardian home" schemes.

Easiest Dog to Take Care of: Top 10 Breeds for a Happy Home Do you ever dream about having a furry best friend who loves to play fetch, gives the warmest cuddles, and greets you with the happiest tail wags every time you come home? A friend who is not just any dog, but the easiest dog to take care of? We know, it sounds like a dream come true, right? But we also understand that bringing a new puppy home is a big step. It's like adding a new member to your family, a little brother or sister.Top 30 Smartest Dog Breeds In The World If you're a dog lover, you've probably heard the age-old debate: which dog breeds are the smartest? While all dogs have their own unique intelligence and personality, some breeds have proven to be consistently brilliant over time. In this guide, we'll explore the top 30 smartest dog breeds ranked, from problem-solving whizzes to trainable and intuitive pups. We've done our research to provide you with an updated and informative.These pooches are joyful, lively, eager to please dogs. They are adventurous, kind, family-oriented pups who love hiking, swimming, canine games, sports and any, and all, family activities. These puppies are merry and bouncy little marshmallows. They are cuddly and sweet pups who love running around, playing, making friends and are very enthusiastic learners. The breed is divided into 3 recognized categories: Toy Poodle; Mini; Standard. Although they differ in size, one thing is for sure: they are glamorous companion pets. We have answers. The cost of Poodles change depending on several things. The experience of the breeder, type of coat, as well as size affects price. Uptown is so great because you can find amazing Poodles to love, and pups you can afford too! Do your breeders arrange travel for Los Angeles Poodles out of state? Without a doubt! M ost of the breeders, businesses and companies in our network really know their stuff when it comes to transporting Poodle pups all over geographically. They are also able to arrange for your Poodle puppy to be sent by plane to the nearest major airport close to you. Our network is also growing by the day, so you may be able to pick up your pup really close by! How do you screen miniature Poodle breeders in Los Angeles? To make sure that the health and wellbeing of your puppy is safeguarded, our standards are very strict when it comes to experience of the breeder, the places where breeding occurs, care of the animals, etc. The internet is easily accessible to anyone and everyone, making it basic for bad breeders, as well as puppy mills, to hurt families who are just looking for a new best friend. We just want to help families that care find honest breeders, companies and businesses who can help give you the Poodle you have always wanted. What is a puppy mill like for miniature Poodle Los Angeles? Puppy mills are an absolute nightmare for all the dogs and puppies involved. The mothers are stuck in cages all their lives, their only purpose to give birth to litter after litter. The puppies that come out of puppy mills often have behavioral issues and health problems that can end up costing you thousands in vet bills. These puppies often die at a young age. Are there any miniature Poodle puppies Los Angeles for sale now? We will help connect you with the best breeders, companies and businesses based on a variety of preferences, and before you know it, you will have your new best friend, on or by your lap at home. What kind of dogs are mini Poodle puppies Los Angeles? There are many types of Poodles available. Poodles are very popular and are also incredibly intelligent. Their actual intelligence is just after the Border Collie. They are also highly skillful, able to be dogs that assist, and more! Right now the internet is populated with puppy scams. We aim to create long-term relationships with our Breeder Pledge, screening process and more, with our customers as well as our dog breeders. All you need to do is take a look at our reviews and see all the families and Poodles we have connected and you will see how well our network works!